


Caregiving

by pcworth



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Cancer, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-08
Updated: 2017-05-08
Packaged: 2018-10-29 10:58:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 33,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10852566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pcworth/pseuds/pcworth
Summary: When Regina falls seriously ill, Henry wants to help her through it, but there is only so much a teenager can do. He eventually turns to his other mother, Emma, to help out.





	1. Chapter 1

In a way Emma considered herself a bit of an expert on Regina Mills. From the moment she met the other woman their lives had been bound in a way Emma could never have predicted. Her first observations of the other woman came from her efforts to essentially spy on her as Henry tried to convince her that his adopted mother was the Evil Queen from a fairy tale.

Then things slowly changed.

The moment Emma started to believe that Regina may not be what people perceived her to be came when she was ready to sacrifice herself to delay the fail safe device. When the mayor looked her in the eyes and pleaded with her to let Henry know that she died as Regina – that was the moment Emma knew there was a depth of hidden pain, but strong character in her.

They managed to work together to save Henry in Neverland, but when they returned to Storybrooke turmoil followed them. Yet Regina's love for Henry had never wavered, even as she gave him to Emma's care – erasing their memories but giving them a shared past.

But then it all started to change again, not for the better and it was because of Emma's actions that Regina would no longer speak to her unless it was an absolute necessity.

The rift between them, caused by Emma's saving of Marian, felt permanent to Emma. And maybe it was because of her feelings of guilt that she failed when she should have been more of an expert on Regina Mills.

…

The black Mercedes sped down Hebron Street onto Canal Road when Emma tagged it for speeding. She pulled out, began to follow it, turning on her lights to get it to pull over. Once it did Emma took a deep breath before getting out of her cruiser. It looked like this would be one of those absolute necessary times for her to speak to Regina. She could hardly believe she had caught her speeding – and so excessively – as she knew Regina tended to drive very sensibly.

She walked along the side of the car seeing the driver's side window slide down and preparing for what was sure to be an icy, stiff, and completely uncomfortable conversation.

When she got to the door it wasn't Regina in the driver's seat.

"Dr. Whale," she said in confusion, taking a step back to look at the car. This was definitely Regina's Mercedes. No one in town had a car like this.

Whale noticed her examination.

"Sorry sheriff, just taking my new wheels out for a test run," he said handing over his license.

"This is Regina's car, isn't it?"

"Not anymore. She sold it to me the other day. Quite a steal it was," he said. "If you ever want to go for a ride, let me know."

"No thanks," she said. "I'll be right back."

She walked back to her cruiser to run his license and she checked his registration. The car was indeed his. Why would Regina sell her Mercedes? Next to Henry that car may the thing she most cherished in this world. Perhaps she got a new one, Emma thought.

Either way it was none of her business, she told herself. She finished up ticketing Whale for the speeding violation, and put the encounter from her mind.

...

Henry watched as his mom Regina picked at her food. She seemed to be eating less these days. Most of the time he was around her lately, she was making a noticeable effort to be more relaxed and having fun with him – even letting teach her how to play a video game with him. Tonight though, tonight she was withdrawn.

She finally gave up eating all together, asking him a few questions while continued to eat. "Are you not hungry?" he asked finally.

"I had a big lunch," she said, lapsing into silence. He had noticed her doing that a lot more lately too.

He wondered if she was still sad over Robin. He didn't dare ask her that, but he did have something he needed to ask her.

"Um, Emma was wondering if you could switch weekends with her." They had a standard every Wednesday and every other weekend arrangement going on. He lived mainly with Emma, a decision that surprised him and Emma when Regina made it, saying that Henry needed stability. That had happened a little more than a month ago. Before that he would live one week with Emma and one week with Regina.

He worried about his mom being all alone here in the mansion.

"When does she want to switch?"

"She wanted to see if you could take me this weekend and then she would have me the next."

She looked away a moment and then turned back. "You know I wish I could have you here all the time, right?"

"Yes, I know," he said thinking she sounded sad and he felt bad about asking the question.

"Good. I don't want you to think that I don't, but I can't switch this weekend."

"Ok," he said. "I'll let Emma know."

Henry was typically a deep sleeper, but he happened to be awake when he heard his mom's door open, and then heard her go downstairs. When she didn't return after a while, he slipped out of bed and went to find her. He got to the bottom floor and looked around, seeing a light coming from under the door to the bathroom. There was a bathroom upstairs and one in her room, so he didn't know why she would come downstairs to use one.

He got closer to the door and heard the sound of puking – dry heaving more like it. He was about to knock and ask if she was ok when he heard the toilet flush. Losing his nerve, he fled back upstairs. Still it was 10 more minutes before he heard Regina return to her room.

…

Emma waited for Regina's secretary to let her in, refusing to sit down to wait. When she was finally admitted, she didn't wait to get to the desk before speaking.

"Why can't we switch weekends?"

"It doesn't work for me to switch on such short notice."

"And how much notice do you need for such things?"

"How about a month,"

"A month? You are unbelieveable. I get that you are pissed with me Regina," she said leaning over the desk. "But I thought you were a better person than to use Henry as a tactic in this whatever this is between us – a Cold War."

"Is that what you think? No, don't answer that, of course you do. You want to switch weekends, fine, drop Henry off tomorrow after school. After all, whatever you have going on is clearly more important."

Emma backed off a moment. She really looked at Regina for the first time and it struck her that she seemed paler. And had she lost weight on her already thin frame?

"I didn't say what I was doing was more important," Emma said trying to soften the edge out of her voice.

"I don't care what you are doing. In the future …" she paused. "Never mind. I'll take him this weekend, you have the next weekend and the one after that so we can get back to the original schedule we agreed to."

"Fine."


	2. Chapter 2

Henry sensed Regina's nervousness as they sat in a booth at Granny's, after watching a Saturday matinee at the movie theater. Henry ate a burger and had a shake. Regina just had water. She hadn't eaten breakfast and the night before she barely ate dinner.

"Are you sure you don't want anything to eat?" Ruby asked her as she refilled her half-full water.

"No thank you."

"You should eat something," Henry said as Ruby walked away.

"I'm not hungry."

"You never seem to be hungry lately," he said.

"I know," she said tearing at the paper place mat. She had been messing with anything she could get her hands on while sitting there. There was a small pile of paper from where she tore of the straw wrapper and was now working on the place mat.

"Is there something wrong?"

Regina smiled at him, "nothing you need to worry about."

He didn't like the way she said it and was about to ask her what she meant by that when she looked up as the door opened.

"Gina!" Roland yelled as he came running up to the table. "Hug Gina."

Regina bent down and gave him a hug.

"How are you?" Robin asked.

"Fine. How are you?"

"Good."

"I'm glad," she said. "I never really got to say it before, but I'm glad you got your family back. The three of you … you should be together. And I am sorry that it was my actions that led to you losing Marian in the first place. I apologize to you as well Marian. I'm happy that you got your second chance."

"Thank you," Marian said.

The threesome went and took their seats. When Henry and Regina were leaving, Henry noticed how slow his mom was to stand up and then walking to the car. He still wasn't used to the idea that his mother owned something other than the Mercedes. When he had asked her why she sold it, she had only said it was a good deal. The effort to even put on the seat belt seemed a chore for her.

"I have to go out for bit tonight," Regina said. "Will you be ok all by yourself?"

"Yes. Where are you going?"

"There is something I have to do. I promise I will get back as soon as possible."

"Is this why you said you couldn't switch this weekend?"

"Yes," she said putting the car in gear and driving them home. They got in, Henry making it to the door way faster than Regina. He waited for her, holding the door open. They got inside and Regina immediately sat on a chair in the living room. Henry took a seat on the couch.

"You can go play video games," Regina said. "If you want. You don't need to stay here with me. I am probably just going to read a book before I go."

"I'm not stupid."

"I know that,"

"Then why won't you tell me what is wrong because I know there is something wrong."

She sat there studying him. "I told you there is nothing for you to worry about."

"I am worried though. I am worried about you. Is this about Robin and Marian?"

"No," she said shaking her head slightly.

"Then what is it?"

Regina moved to sit beside him. "Do you remember when you were a kid and you would have a secret and you would make me pinky swear not to tell anyone? I think you picked that saying up from television or something."

"I guess,"

She inhaled deeply. "If I tell you, you have to swear you won't tell anyone, and I mean anyone."

"Ok, I won't. I swear."

She looked away and then back at him, tears in her eyes. "I didn't want you to find out, but I don't see anyway that doesn't happen. I just … I don't want you worrying about me or feeling like you need to do anything, ok?"

"I don't understand."

"I have cancer Henry,"

There she thought. I said it out loud. For the first time, she said it out loud and never felt as real to her as it did now.

"Cancer? But you can't …" he started to say. "How?"

"I don't know. No one knows. It's a form of leukemia."

"How long have you known?"

"Nearly two months," she said. "That is why I need to leave tonight. I have an arrangement with Dr. Whale to have the treatments done as discreetly as possible. I have to have them on a set schedule which is why when Emma wanted me to switch I said no."

He sat there not wanting to cry in front of her. He wanted to be strong for her. But the first tear came down his face, followed by more. He buried his body into hers, hugging her afraid to let go.


	3. Chapter 3

Regina had argued with Henry, but in the end she let him come to the hospital with her, but only if he agreed to stay in Dr. Whale's office while she was having the treatment done.

"Your latest blood work isn't showing improvement," Dr. Whale told her. She wasn't surprised. Each day she felt like she had less strength and the drugs he was giving her made her feel worse. Most days if she could stomach food it made her nauseous.

"You said before that there were other things we could try," she said.

"There are more aggressive forms of treatment, but we do that and there are going to be times when you need to be here at the hospital – not just to stop in for a treatment and leave. This isn't outpatient surgery. I would like to start soon," he said.

She had wanted to avoid that. A hospital stay in this town would mean word would get around.

"Can we keep on this a couple of more weeks to see if there is any change before we start something new?"

"Yes," he said. "But if I don't see improvement we are going to have to go another route. And when we do, you are going to have to think about some lifestyle changes."

"What do you mean?"

"Taking some time off of work. You may want to think about employing someone to help around the house or a caregiver of some sort."

"I'm not an invalid."

"I didn't say you were," he said. "But Regina, it doesn't matter how tough you are sometimes you have to ask for help. I was happy to see Henry was here with you. No one should have to carry a burden like this alone."

Despite the fact that she had essentially given him her Mercedes (the price he paid was ridiculously low) in order to set up these secret treatments, she was surprised to see that he did genuinely seem to care about her as a patient even if they didn't get along as people.

"I will give it some thought."

Henry had brought a game to play while sitting in Dr. Whale's office, but he didn't feel much like playing it. His mom had been a little vague on details, he knew because she didn't want him to worry, but he wasn't going to let her go through this alone. He had told her as much once he had calmed down.

He told her that he wanted to move back in with her, but she had immediately shut down that idea. When he asked her why, she said she didn't want to uproot his life over this and his mother was surely not going to let that happen without a lot of questions.

But he had to do something. He couldn't merely continue on as if she hadn't told him.

He didn't know what to do. All she had asked of him was that he keep it a secret and that he let her know if it was too difficult for him to be around her.

She had told him that she had been getting worse, and there were times when she wouldn't be able to go out to a movie with him like they did that day. And there would be times when she didn't feel like eating. There were good days and bad days she told him, but the important thing was that she loved him and he loved her.

She thought about what she had said about staying on a schedule with the treatments – a schedule that go messed up because Emma had wanted to go sailing with Hook today on a day trip. Then Henry was supposed to be the next two weekends with Emma. While he would still have his Wednesdays with Regina, he didn't feel comfortable now leaving her alone for two straight weekends.

After all, he was the only family she had.

….

The next morning, Henry went to check on his mom after he woke. She was still asleep in her room. The treatment had seemed to sap her of what strength she had. She had returned to Whale's office looking extremely pale. Whale had told her that he could admit her over night but she insisted on driving home. They made it slowly, and once there, he had run around to her side of the car and helped her out. She allowed it and allowed him to be at her side at least while she walked up the stairs. She had kissed him good night on the forehead and he hugged her before they went to their respective rooms.

Henry hadn't slept well as he stayed up using the internet to start researching leukemia. He quickly learned that he would need to know the specific type in order to better learn what he needed to know. He also now knew she had some prescriptions in her purse and he wanted to get the names of those as well. He wondered if Dr. Whale would tell him what he needed to know about his mother's condition.

When Regina finally got up close to 11 a.m., she insisted on making breakfast for him once she learned he hadn't eaten. He cursed to himself that he hadn't. He didn't want her to be cooking him breakfast, he should have cooked her. He was at least happy she sat down with him and made a better attempt at eating food.

They spent the day in quiet. He did his homework and she actually napping on the couch (something he had never seen her do) when it was time for him to go. He thought about calling Emma to get picked up, but knew Regina wouldn't be happy about that so he reluctantly woke her.

They drove to Emma's, which was Snow's old place, and she parked the car. "Remember what I said."

"I won't tell anyone."

"Thank you. But I mean it, if this becomes too difficult you need to speak up."

"I will. I love you mom."

"I love you too."

….

When Henry walked in, he saw Hook there on the couch. "Hey Henry," Hook said. "Next time. You and me out on the water, how's that sound?"

"No thanks," he said heading to his room.

"Henry," Emma said walking over to him. "What's wrong? Did something happen over at Regina's this weekend?"

"What's he still doing here?" Henry said nodding toward Hook. "You just spent the whole weekend with him."

"I know. We were just talking. He wanted to see you and invite you out on the boat with him. We have the next two weekends together, maybe we can all go out if you don't want to go alone."

"I don't want to go at all," he said. "I have homework to get done."

"You didn't do it at Regina's?"

"No. When I am there I want to spend time with her, not with school work. I don't get to see her as often I see you so I don't think it's fair for you to expect me to get my work done on her time. She doesn't have as much time as you."

"Whoa," she said. "What is going on with you? Did Regina say something?"

"Why do you always have to jump to the conclusion that she did something wrong or said something wrong? She's a good person and she doesn't deserve you or anyone else saying things like that."

He didn't wait for her to respond, instead heading up the stairs.

Emma could only watch as he did so, wondering what had just happened.

A couple of hours later after Killian left, Emma called up to Henry asking him to come downstairs. "You ready to tell me what is wrong? Or should I call Regina and ask her?"

"Nothing is wrong."

"Try another one."

"There is nothing wrong," he said. "I had a great weekend with mom, in fact, I wanted to stay there, but she said no."

"Oh," Emma said. "You want to spend more time there?"

"Yes."

"I suppose I can talk to her about that if that is what you really want."

"No. I mean I do what that, but you can't talk to her about it. She doesn't want to upset the routine we have going now. It's fine. I have a phone; I can call her when I want."

"Is this about Killian spending more time with me and around here? Is that why you want to spend more time over there?"

"Wow," he said. "Is it that hard for you to believe I want to spend time with my mom?"

"Look kid, clearly I am saying all the wrong things to you tonight so why don't we talk about this later."

"Fine. Can I go back upstairs now?"


	4. Chapter 4

Emma took her lunch break and stopped in at Granny's for a bite. Ruby took her lunch break at the same time in order to sit with her.

"You've looked better," Ruby said. "Still having issues with Henry?"

"I don't know what's gotten into him. It's been this way for a month now. Those two weekends I had him in a row, he was moping the whole time. And when he isn't moping he is texting on his phone to Regina. Then Wednesdays or her weekends come around and I can't get that kid there fast enough to suit him. And then this past weekend it was mope city again."

"Have you spoken with Regina about it?"

"No. But I was thinking of pulling her aside at city council tonight and asking her."

"I heard she has missed a few days in the office in the last couple of weeks. Her secretary was in here last week and said Regina missed two days in a row with the flu."

"Henry never said anything," Emma said. "He doesn't say much about anything, but he especially doesn't say much about Regina beyond wanting to see her. He denied it but I think he is bothered by Killian being around so much and maybe he is using Regina's as a refuge from it."

"You have said Killian is around too much," Ruby said.

"I know," Emma sighed. "Maybe I should talk to him about giving Henry a little breathing room."

"It's not just Henry that needs it."

"I suppose not."

…

Emma got to the city council meeting that night but when she didn't see Regina in her seat, she wondered where she was at. Regina didn't miss city council meetings. She had left Henry at her mom's for the evening. Her dad was now on city council and when she motioned to him about Regina's empty seat he gave her a shrug to indicate he didn't know.

The council meeting went on and Regina didn't even show up late.

"We have one more late agenda item to attend to," the city council president said, standing up and passing out a paper to all the council members. "Our mayor Regina Mills gave me this letter of resignation late today. You can read it for yourselves, but basically she is resigning effective immediately for personal reasons. She will however stay on in a part-time interim basis at no cost to the city due to the last-minute nature of the resignation until such as time as someone is appointed to the position. So we need a motion to accept the resignation."

"Wait," Charming said. "That's it. She's just resigning with no explanation. Did she say anything beyond what's in the letter?"

"Only that it was her honor to serve as mayor and she had full confidence in our ability to handle the situation."

Emma wanted to stand up and ask what kind of bullshit this was. Regina quitting. It didn't make any sense. Her dad looked at her, but this time it was her turn to shrug.

"I'm not sure we should vote to accept this resignation until we hear from her directly," Charming said. There were other mutterings of agreement as no one seemed to know what was going on.

After the meeting, where they tabled Regina's resignation for further discussion, Emma went straight to her parent's house. Her father was right behind her as she entered and went straight over to Henry.

"Spill it. What is going on with Regina?"

"What do you mean?"

"She just resigned as mayor."

"She did what?" Snow asked. Charming handed her the copy of the resignation letter.

"What is going on Henry?" Emma asked again. "Either tell me or I am driving straight to her house to ask her myself."

"She isn't there," Henry said.

"Where is she then?"

"She's in Boston. She left a couple of hours ago."

"Why did she go to Boston?"

Regina had told Henry that after tonight it would no longer matter – the secret couldn't be kept a secret now. She had progressed past a basic treatment regiment.

"She went to get a stem cell treatment at a hospital there."

"Stem cells?" Snow asked. "What would she need a stem cell treatment for?"

"Mom has cancer."


	5. Chapter 5

Mom has cancer. Those words were still echoing in Emma's ears the next day. She had finally gotten out of Henry that Regina had been battling leukemia for the past couple of months. He told her how she had been on basic chemo treatments with Whale but they weren't working. He also let her know the nature of those treatments required a strict schedule. The unspoken – that Emma had messed with that schedule to spend time with Hook – was loud and clear.

What he did say out loud hurt her even more.

"See, this had nothing to do with you and Killian," he had said after they got home.

She had gone to the diner after dropping him off at school. About all she got out of him that morning was that he was waiting to get a text from Regina on how she was doing after the procedure. There were many people at Granny's that morning and there was only one topic of discussion as most had copies of the newspaper which not only had the news of Regina's resignation, but citing an unnamed source the newspaper reported that the personal reason for her resignation was because she was seriously ill. Apparently, people didn't know yet that it was cancer.

Ruby motioned for her to come down to the far end.

"Is it true? Is Regina ill?"

Emma noticed Granny was right there also looking to her for an answer. She didn't say anything, but her look was enough.

"Is it serious?" Ruby asked.

She barely nodded yes.

"I should have known something was up. The last weekend Regina had him, Henry was in here both days picking up to-go food to eat for him and Regina. He walked here," Granny said. "How is he doing?"

"Not good," Emma said. "He's angry at me, at the world, at anyone right now because there isn't anything he can do about this."

"Poor kid," Ruby said. "It hasn't even been a year since Neal."

"She's not dying. That's not going to happen," Emma said a little louder than she intended.

"Of course not," Granny said. "All Ruby meant is that it must be hard on him."

"Sorry," Emma said. "I just …I feel like an idiot. I should have known something was wrong with her. Even the last time I saw her face-to-face she was looking pale and she had lost weight. I didn't even …"

"What would you have even done?" Ruby said.

"I don't know."

"What's wrong with her?" Granny said.

Emma looked around at all the people there. "It's going to get around sooner or later," Granny said. "These things always do."

"She has cancer."

Ruby looked at her like she hadn't heard her right. Granny just nodded at her. "You tell Henry that if needs a meal here or if he needs to take something to her; that our grill is always open."

…

"Heard from her yet?" Emma asked, as soon as she picked Henry up from school.

"She sent me a text saying the procedure was over, but she was tired and going back to sleep," he said. "That was this morning around 10."

Emma had spoken with the principal this morning to let her know that Henry needed to keep the phone on him because of special circumstances.

"I know the answer is no, but is there any way you can take me there … to Boston. She's all alone up there."

Emma heard the pain in his voice. Regina wasn't being released until Friday morning. And although it was Henry's weekend there, Emma didn't figure Regina would be up for much of anything.

"Henry, even if we could leave now, it would be two hours to get there, two hours back and you have school in the morning."

"Forget I asked," he said.

Emma sighed. "It's not that I don't want you to see your mom."

"Then why can't you take me?"

"And do what? Drop you off up there and hope she is well enough to drive you both back in one piece. She shouldn't even be driving herself back here. What was she thinking anyways?"

"Who else was going to take her? She doesn't have anyone but me and I can't drive. I can't do anything to help her."

"That's not true," Emma said. "She needs to know you love her and care for her, and believe it or not that is more important than if you can drive."

"I just want to be able to do something for her."

"Ok, well, let's figure out what that can be then," Emma said.

…

Regina still felt horrible on Thursday night. She hadn't been able to keep anything down beyond some ice chips and some clear broth. The treatment had taken more out of her than she had expected. She had no idea how she was going to manage driving home the next day.

She had severely misjudged this whole experience.

And this was just the first treatment.

She had texted Henry earlier and he said he was looking forward to seeing her. She didn't want to let him down, but she wasn't sure she could drive five minutes much less two hours.

Her eyes were starting to close again. She could only stay away for a few hours at a time. She hoped when she woke that she would feel better. She needed to see her son.

…

The nurse led them to Regina's room, warning them that if she was asleep not to wake her. Emma walked with one hand on Henry's shoulder. She had tried to prepare him that his mom might not be even close to top form, but as they entered the room it was Emma's hand which dropped from Henry.

Regina was indeed asleep, and Emma was struck by the change in her. She looked unhealthy from the paleness of her skin to the weight loss. Her lips were dry and her eyes had a sunken in look to them. Her cheekbones were a little more prominent from the loss of weight.

How had she gotten sick so fast? How had Emma not noticed it?


	6. Chapter 6

When Regina opened her eyes she thought she was still asleep. Definitely dreaming, Regina thought as she saw Emma asleep in the chair next to her bed. She sat up and that is when she saw Henry. He was asleep on a small gurney bed they must have brought in for him.

"Miss Swan," she barely got the words out, her throat dry. She reached for her water, as Emma opened her eyes and saw what she was trying to get. Emma moved faster, pouring a glass of water and handing it to her.

Regina sipped water through the straw, hoping this wasn't one of the times she would be extra nauseous upon waking. "Miss Swan, what are you doing here?"

"Henry and I thought you could use a ride back to Storybrooke tomorrow, so here we are."

"Did he not tell you I drove?"

"Oh, no, he told me. It was your ability to drive back that was in doubt," Emma said. "And for good reason. We talked with doctor. He wasn't going to release you tomorrow morning if you were planning on leaving here on your own."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

Regina looked over at Henry. Her little boy. He was growing up so fast.

"He just wants to help," Emma said softly.

"I know. But I am the parent. He shouldn't have to take care of me."

"You can't take care of yourself. Not like this at least. How bad is it?"

"The cancer, it's spread a little."

"What does that mean exactly?"

"It means if this treatment doesn't work they will have to look to a more aggressive form of treatment to stop it from spreading."

"Again, I have no idea what that means. Henry has tried to get me up to speed on this, but science was never a strong point for me and having our 14 year old son explain it isn't the best option either."

"Amputation."

"Oh."

"Oh is right. I have three rounds of stem cell treatments – one every two weeks and if that fails or the cancer starts to spread at anytime during it, then amputation is the only option."

"Where is it at?

"Left leg."

"And Henry doesn't know?"

"No and I would appreciate it if you didn't tell him."

"Alright, but if you don't want to share such details with him, moving forward you tell them to me. No holding back."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because someone needs to know what you are going through. Someone needs to know the specific so they know what you can and can't handle. And while Henry wants to be a big part of this, he is still just a kid. That makes it my job."

"What job is that again?"

"I don't know. Friend, support system, caregiver; pick a name for it, I don't really care. The bottom line is moving forward you don't do this alone. Now, what is the prognosis for this treatment?"

Regina was now fairly sure she was still dreaming. She saw Emma was looking at her with all seriousness.

"Usually pretty good," she said. "But it works better when they transplant the stem cells from a donor the person is related to. Obviously in my case that isn't possible, so they are using the closest match they can from someone who had graciously donated their cells. But when a MUD – or Matched Unrelated Donor – is used there are usually more complications for the recipient. Hence why this first treatment has knocked me on my ass more than expected."

"Hence, why Henry and I are here."

…

They hadn't talked much more that night, but in the morning when she woke, Regina accepted a big hug from Henry.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too."

"How are you feeling?"

"Better now that you are here. Although we can discuss you skipping school later."

"Hey Emma signed me out,"

"Traitor," Emma said, standing up and stretching. "I am going to get some coffee and let you two talk. Then we can find out when they are discharging you."

"What about my car?" Regina asked. "I don't want to leave it here."

"Good because we sort of need it to drive back in."

"How did you get here then?"

"We had Robin drive us to the nearest town from Storybrooke and then we took the bus. If nothing else you owe me for that."

She left and Henry began grilling Regina about how she felt, how the treatment went, when they would find out if it was working. She told him as much as she felt comfortable with, leaving out some of the details she went over with Emma.

The doctor checked her out before she left, gave care instructions to Emma like Regina wasn't even there. If she weren't so worn out she would have spoken up about how she felt about it, but she was honestly just wanting to get home to her own bed.

She had to endure being taken out to the curb in a wheelchair while Emma brought her car around. Emma had obviously come prepared. Regina had noticed she had a big gym bag with her in the hospital room and now she knew why – the backseat was done up with a blanket and several pillows for Regina to rest on. Regina tried to protest that she was fine with sitting in the passenger seat. She was however outvoted by Emma and Henry – something she hoped wouldn't become a reoccurring theme.

It was a two-hour ride home – Emma smiled when she looked in the back seat 20minutes into it only to see Regina asleep already. Henry looked back at her as well, but his look was more serious.

"She's going to be ok," Emma reassure him.

"I heard you talking last night. I wasn't asleep. I know about the possibility of amputation. Were you going to tell me?"

"No," Emma said. "She asked me not to as you heard. Besides, we're not going to let it get to that point."


	7. Chapter 7

Regina didn't know how she managed not to puke in the car on the ride home, but as soon as she was in the house she went straight to the bathroom and emptied the contents of her stomach. Down on her knees, head over of the toilet bowl, the position was beginning to feel way too familiar for her.

She didn't think it would be like this. She didn't know why, but when Whale told her she had cancer she hadn't given any thought to it beating her. She thought she would take the chemo treatments, battle through, it would be gone and she would get on with her life.

Now her life seemed to be a daily struggle to do things that were never a struggle before.

She knew now, there was no way she could have driven back home. If Emma hadn't had come she would still be laying in that hospital.

She hadn't been able to give it too much thought – the why Emma had come at all. She assumed Henry had made her do it. Regina loved him so much, and hated that he looked at her now as someone that needed help. She didn't want to need help.

She stood, flushing the toilet and splashing some water on her face. She looked in the mirror. Regina Mills. The Evil Queen. The Mayor of Storybrooke. She didn't feel like any of those people right now. She felt instead like some one had cut away sliver of her and it was that small piece of her that was now staring back at her from the mirror.

Regina Mills, cancer patient. She almost laughed at the idea of it. After all of it, all she had done, the life she had led, this was the one thing that was truly unexpected. Looking back, everything else seemed to make sense, like it was ordained from a higher power, but cancer – it was random.

She had talked to some of the staff at the hospital in Boston and no matter what patient they were talking about, beyond the few smokers who had lung cancer, there didn't seem to be any one factor that destined a person for this destruction.

She knew Henry would be waiting outside the room for her, to make sure she was alright, so she stood up straight and tried to put her most confident expression on her face and walked out.

…

Emma wasn't fooled by Regina.

She had spent enough time with the other woman to tell when she was being genuine and when she was being fake. For instance, she thought, when Regina first came out of the bathroom after arriving home, she was being fake. She sat in the living from, refusing to lie down on the couch, and talked with Henry. It was an awkward conversation because it's not like it was as simple as saying, "how did your week go?" What could Henry say to that besides it was a shitty week because he was worried about his mom being in a hospital two hours away.

Emma felt like an intruder sitting there in that house with the two of them. To be honest, despite telling Regina she wasn't going to do this alone, Emma had no idea what she could do. She was a full-time sheriff, she had a son, she was dating someone – how did all of that fit into helping Regina? She had no answer for it.

She didn't like how this sickness had made Regina look. It wasn't a vain thing, like she thought it made her less attractive. Not it was like the cancer had already stripped away at the essence of who Regina was. That is was Emma hated. Regina was the toughest person she had ever met. The woman exuded a natural confidence.

Looking at her now, it was like seeing a shell of that woman.

Yet when Regina looked at Henry, Emma saw the love in her eyes. Regina would do anything for Henry – even put on a fake a smile so he didn't worry as much about her.

Of course, it was all useless because Henry couldn't help but be worried about his mother.

Emma's phone vibrated. She looked down to see it was Killian. He had called four times already today, so she figured she should answer it. She slipped out of the room to talk to him.

…

"That's probably Hook," Henry said. "He called while we were driving back and she ignored the call."

Regina sensed a change in the way Henry regarded the pirate, but she hadn't addressed it with him.

"I thought you like him," she said.

He shrugged. "I thought he was cool at first and you know he knew my dad when my dad was a kid. But ever since mom and him returned from the Enchanted Forest, it's like he feels the need to be around all of the time."

"It's natural for adults who are having a relationship to want to spend time together. I know growing up with me, I didn't really have a relationship for you to see that, but Emma's different. You said she nearly married that guy in New York."

"Yeah, but even that was different. He didn't feel the need to be around all the time. It's not like they have been together a long time, but before we left they got into a little fight."

"Over what?"

"Us coming to get you. Hook didn't want Emma to go at all, and even suggested that if I had to go that grandma or grandpa take me. When she shot that idea down all of a sudden he wanted to come along with us. She told him no."

"I am glad for that. I am not sure I could have handled the pirate on a two-hour car ride. But Henry, if Emma and Hook's relationship progresses, you are going to have to get used to the idea that you are going to have to share her with him."

"I know," he said.

….

Emma came back into the room where Regina and Henry were silent. She noticed that Regina had been yawning before she had left the room and now she seemed to be downright dragging.

"You should go to bed if you are tired," Emma said.

"I have to take my medicine in about 30 minutes. I can hold off until then."

"Well I am going to take off. You or Henry, call me if you need anything, ok?'

"I will be fine, but thanks and thank you for coming to get me in Boston."

"You are welcome," she said. "Henry, come walk me to my car."

Emma looked one more time at Regina and left with Henry.

"Why are you leaving?" Henry asked. "Are you leaving because Hook called?"

"No. I am leaving because I need to go check in at the station. I promised mom I would stop by and let her know how Regina was doing and then yes, I am going to go see Kilian."

"I thought you said you were going to help with mom."

Emma knelt looked at her son. "I am and I will, but that doesn't mean staying with her 24/7. I doubt she would want that any way. Look, I will stop by tomorrow morning and bring some groceries. I have the list of food the doctor recommended for her. Make sure she takes her medicine and then gets some rest. Call me if you or her needs anything."

"Ok," he said.

Henry went back into the mansion, not really happy. He thought since Emma took him to Boston and was actively listening to the doctors and nurses about Regina that she would be more active in helping. He knew it was wrong to fault her. She did after all take him to Boston. He just couldn't help but feel like she was choosing Killian over his mother when Regina was the one who really needed her.

…..

Snow put a cup of coffee in front of Emma, which her daughter graciously accepted.

"How is she?" Snow asked. She was concerned abut her former stepmother. The two had finally put away their differences, and she felt like as strange as it might be they might be able to have a relationship, a friendship maybe.

"She's worse than what we thought," Emma said. "She hadn't exactly been all that upfront with Henry on what was going on. The cancer has spread. The treatments she was getting here weren't even making a dent, which is why Whale arranged for these stem cell treatments in Boston. These stem cell treatments work well, but have a higher success rate when the donor and recipient are related. In Regina's case …"

"Zelena," Snow said.

"I thought the same thing when Regina told me. That if Zelena was where then maybe, I don't know, might as well not even think about it. Anyway, when there isn't a match like that they use the closest ones they can find, but that can result in complications. The doctor said Regina's body could see the new stem cells as foreign bodies and attack them or vice versa the stem cells could see Regina's cells as foreign and attack them. So on top of everything else she has to pump into her body she has to take medicine to help with preventing a rejection. I swear she has like 15 to 20 different pill bottles now. We're going to have to come up with some sort of system to make sure she is taking the right ones at the right time."

"How is she holding up though?"

"It's hard to say. She's trying to be brave for Henry but you can tell this is all wearing on her. She doesn't even seem like Regina. And that's not the worst of it. If these treatments don't work, they are going to amputate her leg to keep it from spreading."

"Oh no," Snow said and she looked away a moment. She couldn't wrap her head around that word – amputation. When she first met Regina, the young woman had saved her life – came charging in like some hero from a fairy tale to save her. And while their lives put them at odds against each other, Regina had always been a strong woman. Yes, she mostly used that strength to crush people while she was the Evil Queen, but the idea that this disease could do this to her was incomprehensible to Snow.

"To be honest, I don't know what to do. I told her she wasn't in this alone and I told Henry I would help out in anyway I could, but I don't really know what to do," she said hoping her mom would have an answer for her. "This isn't some dragon to slay or curse to be broken."

"This isn't a fairy tale," Snow said.


	8. Chapter 8

Regina took her medication and then insisted on going to her own room to sleep. She walked up the stairs, keeping her hand on the banister, but by the time she got to the top she was already feeling exhausted.

She had her purse with her, which had her medications and now a bottle of water, as she had to set her alarm to take more pills in a couple of hours. For the most part the pills were spaced out so she didn't have to have short periods of time in between them, but it couldn't be helped for all of them. She got to her room and started putting the pill bottles out on the bedstand. It looked like she had opened her own pharmacy there were so many. She vaguely remembered the nurse telling Emma something about organizing them. It made sense, but now wasn't the time. She set her alarm on her phone for two hours and laid down to sleep.

But as tired as she was, she couldn't seem to find sleep. It was this way at the hospital too. She either fell asleep and was dead to the world or she felt like she should be sleeping but couldn't.

After an hour of lying there she got up, but only so she could bend down and get something from under her bed. She sat back down, propping herself up with plenty of pillows, and opened the sketchbook she had bought shortly after being diagnosed. She didn't know what had possessed her to buy it and the colored pencils but they had sat under bed ever since.

When she was a child she used to love to draw, but her mother didn't feel it was a suitable use of her time, among various other things. Cora had given her young daughter a choice – continue riding lessons or drawing. Regina had chosen her beloved horses. She wondered what her life would have been if she had made another choice. Would she have still met and fallen in love with Daniel?

Playing the mind game of what her life would be like if she had made different choices had become more of a pastime for her lately. She wasn't sure that any different choices would have prevented her from getting cancer.

It was strange to her still – the idea that something inside her own body could kill her. That isn't the way a queen should die. Then she would have to remind herself that she wasn't queen. She wasn't even mayor anymore.

She laughed out loud. She had always wanted to be just Regina, and now she was.

Regina opened the box of pencils, pulling out a standard black one and she opened up the sketchbook. She knew what she wanted to draw, and could only hope her memory of the place was still good enough to get it right.

…

Emma returned home – getting there to find Hook waiting for her. She had texted him to let him know she was on her way there after spending the rest of the day at the sheriff's station. He took her in his arms and kissed her.

"Miss me?" he said.

"I was a little too busy to miss anyone," Emma said although she realized she hadn't really missed him. She hadn't really thought much about him except when he called. She unlocked the door to the apartment and they went in.

"I missed you," he said. "You should have let me go with you."

"I don't think that would have been a good idea. Plus Regina needed lie on the back seat so there wouldn't have been room anyway."

"At least let me show you how much I missed you," he said kissing her again.

Emma woke and went to get a glass of water, careful not to wake Killian. She poured the water into a cup but stopped short of actually drinking it yet as she remembered something. "Fuck," she swore putting down the cup. She went looking for the jeans she had been wearing earlier. Her phone, which she had never taken off of vibrate, was in them.

Finding them next to the sofa, she pulled out the phone and looked at it. There were a couple of missed calls, but none from Regina or Henry. There was a text from Henry though – "Mom wouldn't eat dinner." It was a merely a statement, but she supposed there was an unspoken statement or question there. Even though the text had come in a few hours ago she texted back now – "I will talk to her about it tomorrow."

Somehow she got the feeling Henry was going to be more of a nurse to Regina than anyone else could be. On the car ride home on one of the few times Regina was awake, Henry was telling her how she would need to shower in the bathroom in the upstairs hall since it was a walk-in shower. Apparently he didn't want her risking anything by stepping into her shower which included a tub.

Her phone vibrated – "Mom needs tissues, can u pic up?"

"Go to bed," Emma texted back. It was past 2 a.m. Henry shouldn't be up at that time of night.

"I will. Checking on her. Meds at 2."

Yep, Emma thought, Regina probably had no idea what she was getting into with Henry playing the role of caregiver. The text did remind her she needed to stop at the pharmacy as well tomorrow and get a pill tray to organize Regina's meds better. She sat down on the couch and began to type a list of things Regina would need into her phone so she wouldn't forget any of it.

Finally, she slipped back into bed. Killian hadn't woken at all, and as she thought about him, she realized he had never once asked how Regina or Henry were doing. She rolled over on her side, her back to him, and realized this bothered her. Even her mother who had past reasons to dislike Regina had asked about her, but Killian hadn't. She thought he would have at least asked about Henry.

…

The next morning, Emma rang the doorbell at Regina's and was surprised when Regina opened the door.

"Where's Henry?"

"I am not an invalid. I can still answer my own door."

"Yeah, I know. I am just surprised that Henry would let you."

"Yes," Regina said moving aside. "He has been hovering since we got home. He is currently upstairs making my bed like I won't be back in it in a few hours."

"Do you want me to have a word with him, tell him to back off a bit?"

"Thank you, but no. He wants to be able to do something, anything, so I guess I can endure it. I am wondering where he gets it from – you or his father."

"Maybe he gets it from you, did you ever think about that?"

Regina smiled, "I suppose that is a possibility."

"A possibility? The kid once alphabetized my movie collection after arranging it by genre. If he doesn't that bit of OCD from you, I don't know where it comes from."

"I am not OCD. Some things belong in a natural order is all."

Yeah, Henry said something similar when I called him on it too."

They went into the kitchen where Emma began to empty bags as Regina put things away.

"How are you feeling today?" Emma asked.

"Good. Better. Maybe it's being home, but I woke up feeling better today. I am not as tired."

"Did you sleep well?"

"Not great but it was ok."

"Henry tells me you didn't eat dinner last night."

Regina closed the cabinet where she had put away some soup. "Does this mean my every move will be reported back to you?"

"Only the important ones. You heard the doctor, you have to try and keep your strength up which means eating regularly."

"I am still not used to these new drugs and my stomach wasn't ready for food last night."

"What about this morning? Did you eat?"

"I had some toast. It seems to be settling in my stomach ok."

"Good, but that isn't enough food. Where are your pots, I will cook you some of this soup."

"That isn't necessary."

"I could ask Henry if it is," Emma smiled.

"Fine," Regina said taking a seat at the island. "Pots are in that lower corner cupboard."

Emma went over and got one that looked the right size and put it on the stove and began to warm up some of the vegetable soup she had bought.

"Your tissues are in that bag," Emma said as she noticed Regina use a napkin to wipe her nose. Regina reached for and opened the tissue box.

"Henry?"

"Yes. He texted me late last night."

"Thank you. I will pay you for all of this."

"Ok, no hurry," Emma said, knowing it would be pointless to argue with her about paying for it. "Don't tell me you have allergies on top of everything else."

"No," Regina said. "Little known fact about cancer patients who have undergone chemo—the treatment can make your hair fall out."

"That isn't a little known fact."

"Most people think the top of your head when they think that. They forget that people have nose hair that act as a natural barrier to block particles going in and out."

"Wait, you mean you don't have nose hair?"

"Very little at this point."

"But you have hair, hair. On top of your head."

"The cancer came on really quick. I started chemo treatments almost immediately. After the first few my hair started to fall out. This," she said indicating her hair. "… this is just one of the perks of knowing magic."

"It's not real?"

"Not exactly," Regina said. "But I am not sure my pride or ego could handle the alternative right now, so as long as I can maintain my magic, I will have hair. Think of this as a wig that is magically enhanced to feel and look more real."

"Why did you say it like that – as long as I can maintain my magic?"

"This is exactly why you should learn more about your own magic. You were born with the magic inside of you. Whether you ever learned to use it or not, it will be there. Same with me. But in a weakened state your body can't harness the magic, usually because your body it trying to harness what energy you have to keep you alive at that point."

"Cancer sucks."

"Well said Miss Swan."


	9. Chapter 9

Emma left after speaking with Henry for a bit – telling him, despite what Regina said, that it was ok to give his mom some space and she didn't need him hovering around her all the time.

"I'm just afraid that if I don't something will happen," he said.

"If something happens it won't be because you were or weren't here."

"Still, I was thinking now that it's not a secret anymore, maybe I could stay here from now on and do the Wednesday, weekend rotation with you."

Emma had known it was going to come up at some point, yet she was still unprepared when he said it.

"I will talk to Regina and find out what schedule she would be most comfortable with."

"Ok."

"I have to go," she said. "Again call me if you or she needs anything."

…

After Emma left, Regina was sitting on the couch arranging her medication in the pill table Emma had bought for her. It laid out each day of the week so she need only put in the pills she needed for each day. She would still have to double-check each time to make sure she was taking the right one, but this would be more helpful than the more than dozen bottles she now had. She had programmed her phone with the pill schedule so an alarm would go off 10 minutes before each scheduled dosage.

Luckily, she had lived most of her adult life trying to have a sense of order around her. She thought about what Emma had said before about Henry getting that from her. It made her smile to think that her son's traits weren't purely biological.

In her weaker moments, when she thought about dying, she wondered what Henry would be like as he grew up and if he would look back and see her as she was before and not someone who wasted away.

If it weren't for her magic, she would appear much worse to him.

She thought back to what was only more than a month ago when her hair first started to fall out. She knew it was a possibility. Dr. Whale had been thorough in his explanations of the various side effects of treatment. Still, knowing about it and experiencing it were a whole other matter.

_Regina looked at herself in the mirror. She had tried to view her cancer as she did a cold or flu, something that was temporary, something that wouldn't leave behind a trace that she was sick. But that was no longer possible._

_She held pieces of her hair in hand and stared down at them._

_Her brunette locks were leaving her head by the handful it seemed. Even looking at her head now, she could see that her hair no longer had the vibrancy to it. She remembered how when she was a teenager there seemed to be so much of it; she almost always had to have it pulled back – especially when she was riding._

_She remembered stolen moments with Daniel, when they were lie on the grass, her body nestled against him and he would gently stroke her hair. She even thought about when she was here in Storybrooke, with her shorter hair, how it never ceased to amaze her how baby Henry could always manage to get a handhold on it to tug._

_She liked her hair._

_She didn't want to lose it._

_But that was a forgone conclusion by now._

_She stared at the mirror and took a deep breath. Regina Mills didn't let others control her actions and she wasn't going to let cancer do it. She wasn't going to let it just take her hair. No; if it wanted her hair she just wouldn't leave it with any to take. Let it be disappointed that it couldn't take that from her._

_She dropped the hair that was in her hand and grabbed the electric clippers/razor she had bought. Flicking the switch, her ears were assaulted by the sound of it and she felt the slight vibration of the machine run up her arm. She took one more look at her hair – no not her hair she told herself. Her hair would never be this lifeless. This was merely something that needed to be removed._

_She brought the clippers to her head and she removed the first small section just below her left temple. Seeing the flesh she exposed underneath, she paused and found she was staring at it, studying it. It was several minutes before she raised the clippers again, but this time, she didn't stop. She knew if she did, she was going to lose her nerve._

_Regina shaved the rest of her head and when it was done, she ran her palm across it, and shuddered at the feel of it._

_"There," she said to herself. "I make the choices. I am in control."_

_But even as she said it, staring at her bald head was making a mountain of emotions well up in her. What if Henry saw her like this? What if she couldn't maintain her magic? What if this wasn't the worst to come?_

_She tore eyes from the mirror, but as they rested on the floor she saw her hair there and she sunk to the floor, unable to stop the tears. She pulled her knees up to her chest, hugging them there, lowered her head which now felt like it could feel every air particle, and she sobbed._

_Regina didn't know how long she stayed like that, but after she felt more in control, she got up. She cleaned up the hair and threw it away. She packed away the clippers and forced herself again to look in the mirror._

_One of Dr. Whale's nurses had arranged to her a wig that most matched her hair in color and length. She unpacked it now and put it on. She readjusted it several times. To her it looked like a wig. It couldn't match what she had lost, which is why she used her magic now. She knew she probably shouldn't be wasting her strength or magic on this, but she needed to do it. Looking at her bald head she had felt like a cancer patient. She needed to feel like a queen._

Regina thought now about how silly it was to think she needed to feel like queen. The reality was, she wasn't a queen. She was a cancer patient. And staring at these pills now she felt another of those mountains of emotions pushing to get out. But she couldn't let it out. She couldn't let Henry see her get upset. She had to be strong for him, even if she couldn't be strong for herself.

…

Emma had gone into work for several hours after leaving Regina's. She felt like she needed to keep up with things at the office just in case she would have to leave if Henry or Regina needed anything. She knew that if they did, she'd be hearing from Henry, not Regina. The other woman may be accepting her help, but there was no way her pride at this point would allow her to ask for help.

Emma could understand why. Regina wasn't the type of person who asked for help under most circumstances anyway. She saw it as a weakness and she didn't need any further reminders at this point that she wasn't able to do it all.

She was surprised Regina told her about her hair. That couldn't have been easy for her to admit. Emma felt bad for wondering what Regina looked like without the wig and magic. Somehow she thought Regina would still maintain that air of royalty about her. As sick as she was, and as changed in appearance as she was, Emma could still see that straight back, air of confidence, almost queen-like persona that was Regina.


	10. Chapter 10

Regina erased the line and quickly redrew that part more to her liking. She had been concentrating so hard that when her phone beeped it startled her. It was time for one of her medications. She didn't have any water out there with her on the couch having drunk the bottle she had earlier.

She set her sketchbook aside and went to the kitchen. She got to the fridge but before she opened it she felt a pain in her leg. She gripped the handle to the fridge and closed her eyes. She got these pains occasionally and she felt like it was her body's way of telling her 'hey the cancer is right here. It's in the leg that you will eventually lose.' She knew thinking like that was silly, after all she didn't need a reminder of her cancer—she had plenty already.

It passed and she got her water and walked back to the couch trying not to favor the other leg. When she got back Henry was there sitting with the sketchbook in his lap. "You drew this?" he asked holding up her current work.

"Yes."

"This is really, really good. I didn't know you could draw."

"I haven't done it in a really long time," she said sitting down beside him.

"Where is this?"

"That is where I grew up with my parents," she said. "I don't have any photos of back home obviously so I thought I might draw a few of the places from back there. I thought maybe you might like to see some of the world I came from."

Henry smiled, "Can you tell me about it, about growing up there?"

She took her medicine and then proceeded to talk to him for the next 40 minutes about where she grew up. He asked questions, nothing that was too uncomfortable for her to answer. She realized she hadn't really talked about growing up to anyone before. For the most part it was a subject she had no interest in talking about. She didn't like think about many parts of her childhood.

But Henry wasn't interested in asking her questions about her mother and father, so much as asking her about things like castles and even dragons. She had to laugh at the way he thought the Enchanted Forest was.

"Will you take me there one day? Just for a visit?" he asked.

She got the feeling he wasn't asking for a trip to the Enchanted Forest as much as he was asking her to be alive in the future.

"If we can find a safe way to do it, yes I will take you there," she said.

After that he seemed to sense she was tired –not that it was hard as she did keep yawning, and he excused himself. She didn't feel like walking upstairs even though she was more comfortable up there. Instead she lay down on the couch and slept.

…

Emma let herself into Regina's place. It had taken a couple of days, but she finally convinced her that perhaps it would be wise if she had a spare key to the place for emergencies. Regina was clearly against the idea but she had managed to convince her it was a smart idea.

She had come over each day since they had gotten back from Boston at varying times due to her work schedule. This time she entered and found Regina asleep on the couch. It had become Regina's go to place for naps or sometimes sleeping there all night. It also worried Emma that Regina's strength was so deteriorated by her treatment and medications that she didn't feel like going to her own bed.

They had a decision to make soon about her next treatment in Boston. Regina had put her off about talking about it a couple of times now. There was no way that she could go to Boston by herself again. Regina didn't want Henry there was about all Emma had managed to get out of her. Emma could understand why no Henry, but Regina didn't seem to want to have a discussion about options.

She entered the kitchen to start dinner. She was becoming more familiar with the set up in Regina's kitchen. She had made meals a few times now –for her and Henry. The first couple of times Regina insisted on sitting there to observe. Of course the observation part turned into Regina telling her how to prepare the food. Emma didn't actually mind, although she gave Regina plenty of eye rolls and exasperated looks, because cooking wasn't one of her strengths and no one had ever taken the time to show her how to do it.

Tonight she was going to make spaghetti, something she could handle on her own and something that Regina should be able to eat. The weight loss concerned her as Regina was still having issues eating – although in Emma's mind she wasn't really, she thought Regina just wasn't eating much of her own accord. Maybe she was afraid of eating much because of the potential of getting sick from it. Emma didn't know, and she added that to the list of things she wanted to ask the doctors and nurses in Boston.

She had made the arrangements with everyone she needed to in order to go to Boston, except Regina. She wasn't sure why the other woman kept changing the subject or saying she didn't want to talk about it yet. She was determined that after dinner she would speak to her. They would need to leave in a few days so there wasn't really much time for debate.

Dinner was almost ready when Emma glanced at the clock. It was after 6 p.m. Regina should have been up about 20 minutes ago. She knew Regina's med schedule now and knew her alarm should have woken her. It was time for her dose of anti-rejection meds – two pills. She hadn't heard the alarm go off so she went and found Regina still sleeping. She picked up the phone, examined it and then gently shook Regina awake.

"What is it?" a groggy Regina said opening her eyes.

"It's time to get up," Emma said and she went to the pill container, got out the two Regina needed and handed them to her along with some water once Regina sat up. "You didn't charge your phone so your alarm didn't go off."

Emma found the charger cord nearby and plugged in the phone.

"You have to be more careful," Emma said. "What if I hadn't been here?"

"Then I am sure Henry would have woken me," she said lying back down.

"It's about time for dinner."

"I'm not hungry."

"Not hungry isn't really an option for you. You have to eat. Now come on get up."

"Go away."

"I am not going away. You want to lay there and throw some sort of pity, woe is me fit, that is fine, but you are going to get up and get something to eat."

Regina sat up, "some woe is me fit? Is that what you think this is? I have cancer Miss Swan, I can't exactly go around doing whatever I like. I've never been able to go around and do whatever I like despite what you and others may think. I have been used by people my entire life and what do I get in return – cancer. So if I want to lie here, I am going to lie here."

Emma exhaled and then bent down, grabbed Regina by the arm pulling her up. "If you want therapy do deal with your shit, we can arrange some sessions with Archie, but for now it is dinner time."

Regina pulled away. "What are you doing here?"

"I am here because you are sick and you need someone around to help that isn't our teenage son."

"Why do you care?"

Emma paused. "Why do you have to question it?"

This time Regina paused and looked away. "What did you make for dinner, something that doesn't require supervision I take it?"

"Spaghetti."

"You probably used too much garlic."

Regina left as if it were her idea to go to dinner. Emma followed her surprised that it took this long for Regina to break down a little. She was sure she had such episodes in private, but this was her first one in front of Emma.

It was a small step, Emma thought, but an important one.


	11. Chapter 11

As Emma waited she realized one of the questions she should have asked was how long it would take. She supposed it didn't matter because it would feel longer than it was in reality.

They had gotten to the hospital yesterday - just her and Regina - after having a talk with Henry about why he wasn't coming this time. They had arrived and the doctor ran some tests and the nurse asked a long list of questions, some of which Emma answered on behalf of Regina when the other woman seemed at a loss. They were questions Emma could easily answer honestly such as how Regina's appetite had been.

She wasn't sure Regina appreciated her honesty.

Then came time for the doctor, a kindly older man named Travis Morgan, to go over the results of the tests. Emma tried to concentrate on Regina to gauge her reaction but as soon as the doctor said there was no discernable change in the cancer, Emma forgot to watch Regina.  
"Are you sure?" Emma blurted out. It seemed inconceivable that there wouldn't be a change. Regina had been torturing herself with these anti-rejection drugs that made her sick. It wasn't possible in Emma's mind that all of that was for nothing.

"I am sure," Dr. Morgan said. "But it isn't all that uncommon for there to be no change after one treatment. That is why they are done in a series."

"There is a higher success rate after the first treatment when the stem cell donor is related to the patient," Regina said as if she was reciting some study. And maybe she was, Emma didn't know. Again she thought how unfair it was that Regina had no family alive to be a donor for her.

Regina spent the night in the hospital that night since her procedure was the next morning. Emma had slept like shit in a hotel that Regina insisted on paying for since Emma was doing her the favor of coming with her.

And now all Emma could do was wait.

"How long have you and Regina been together?" One of the nurses asked, rousing Emma from her thoughts.

"What?"

"I asked how long you have been together."

"Regina and me? No. We aren't."

"Oh. Sorry I didn't mean to offend you. It's just I heard you say 'our son' earlier about Regina's son Henry and you were with him before after the first round I assumed."  
"I wasn't offended," Emma said. "I have no issue with same-sex couples or anything. That isn't how she and I are. Henry is my birth son. He is Regina's adopted son."  
"Oh," the nurse said as if that didn't clear it up at all in her mind. "I am glad she has someone with her regardless. When she came here the first time she said she didn't have anyone in her life to be here with her. I am sure it means a lot to her that you are here now."

"We are just ... um friends I guess. I'm just helping her out a bit."

...  
When another nurse came to get her she was led to a room where Regina was asleep.

"She will sleep for a few hours,"

"Did it go ok?"

"Yes. It went fine. She should be in better shape after this one. The first one is always harder."

"Thanks," Emma said taking a seat next to the bed.

She watched Regina as she slept. She wondered, not for the first time, if Regina slept this well normally. She had only seen Regina asleep when she was sedated or drugged up that she slept like someone in a coma.

She laughed thinking about how the nurse thought she and Regina were a couple. There probably weren't two people less suited to each other than they were. If they were a couple they would spend their time fighting that was for sure. The only thing they seemed to agree on was Henry. They were both willing to do whatever it took for Henry.

She supposed some relationships had been built on less.

When Regina woke, she hoped Regina would tell her how she felt about how the treatment was going. Besides that one burst of emotion, Regina hadn't been forthcoming about how she felt about it all. She knew Regina wouldn't be able to hold it all in forever.

…

Regina watched the landscape go by as Emma drove them home. She had woken at the hospital to see Emma asleep in the chair beside her bed. She wondered once again why this woman was giving up so much of her time for her. She knew it was for Henry, but even this seemed a little above and beyond.

She tried to think of how many people in her life were the kind of people who would do something like this for her – it was a very small list.

She knew it was because of the life she had lived. She knew the things she had done were unforgivable.

Emma woke when the nurse came into check on her. She smiled at Regina and asked her how she was doing. Regina simply said "tired."

She slept off and on that day. Every time she woke, Emma tried to engage in her conversation, mostly about how she was feeling and how she felt about how she was feeling.

She had no idea what to say so she said very little.

Emma must have thought she was depressed or something because she tried to "cheer her up" by telling her how the nurse thought they were a couple. Emma laughed about it. She had not.

When she didn't laugh, Emma asked her if she had something against same-sex couples.

"No," Regina said. "Why would you ask that?"

"I don't know. I mean how are things like that viewed back in fairy tale land?"

"I don't know. I guess I never really gave it much thought. People like who they like, I don't know why this world seems to take an issue with it. I mean there are people in our land who would be against such things but that is nothing more than ignorance."

"That is probably the best thing I have heard about that land yet. I can't believe I am going to say this but there are times I am thankful I didn't grow up there."

"Yes, but you should have," Regina said looking away.

"Hey, we can't change the past, either of us, so let's just keep it there – in the past," Emma said touching her hand.

They had released her the next morning, and they were actually nearing Storybrooke when Emma's phone rang. Emma answered it, while still driving and Regina bit her tongue although her instinct was to lecture her about. From the conversation she knew it was Hook. Emma got off the phone quickly.

"It was Killian," Emma said as if she owed an explanation to Regina.

"Meeting up with him?" Regina said making an assumption from the part of the conversation she heard.

"Yes. I'll get you home and make sure you have everything you need first."

"I will probably just sleep when I get there, so you can just drop me off."

"What kind of caretaker would I be if I didn't make sure you got tucked in?"

Emma smiled when she saw Regina smile.

….

Emma sat in the booth at Granny's more staring at her coffee than actually drinking it. She was so lost in thought she didn't notice Ruby sit down across from her until she spoke.

"Tired from your trip to Boston?"

"No,"

"Then why have you been staring at the coffee long enough for it to grow cold?"

Emma shrugged.

"Come on, if you can't tell me who are you going to tell, your new BFF Regina?"

"She's not my best friend."

"I know. That title belongs to me," Ruby smiled. "And as your best friend I demand you tell me why you are all depressy looking."

Emma paused before saying anything. "I was with Killian last night. He asked me not to take Regina to Boston when it's time for her next treatment."

"Oh."

"That's all you have to say about it?"

"I am not surprised actually. What did you tell him?"

"I told him I had to. He was … I don't know being really difficult about the whole thing. He said I was spending too much time over there. I told him it was my time to spend and he had the nerve to say what about his time. I didn't even know what to say. I was like she has cancer, and he just said maybe we should talk about it later. Did you know he hasn't once asked me how she is doing?"

"I am not surprised."

"Why do you keep saying that?"

"Look, the other night, the day you left to take Regina to Boston, I went out to the Rabbit Hole. Killian was there along with some of his cohorts. They were drinking pretty heavily. Are you sure you want to hear this?"

"Tell me."

"One of his guys asked where you were and he said you were in Boston with Regina. Someone said something about Regina being sick and someone else made a comment about her deserving it. And Killian tells them all to be quiet and then he stands up, raises his glass and says, 'may we all be drinking at her funeral soon.' And then they all toasted to it."

Emma stood up and stormed out without saying a word despite Ruby calling after her.


	12. Chapter 12

Emma didn't remember driving to the docks, all she knew was that she arrived and was walking toward Killian's boat. He was on the desk messing with one of the sails.

"Hey Swan," he said smiling at her as she came on board. "Couldn't stay away that long?"

"You son of a bitch," she said storming toward him. She got right in front of his stunned face, grabbed his shirt and pushed back against the rail. "Here, I've had defend myself to people about dating you. I've told people you are a really a good guy once you get past that smarmy exterior you like to put out there. I must be the biggest fool in all the land to fall for you shit."

"Whoa, whoa Swan, what's this all about?"

"This is about you and me being over. You come near me again and sheriff or not I shoot your balls off. And you will be lucky if that is all I do," she said turning to leave before she did shoot him.

He grabbed her arm to keep her from going and she punched him in the face. She cradled her hand after doing so having not hit it on a good angle. He shook off the hit though and again tried to grab her. This time she backed up and pulled her gun.

"I mean it Killian, don't you ever come near me or anyone close to me ever again."

He backed up and put his hands up. "Don't I at least deserve to know what is with the hostility so I can have the chance to show you that it is unfounded?"

Emma put her gun away. "Regina."

"What about her?"

"You toasted to her death the other night."

"Seriously. That is what has you all up tight? People in this town and back home have been wishing for her death for years. Who knew it would be some disease and not an execution that finally ended her."

The casual tone in which he said it both stunned and infuriated Emma.

"Come on Swan, you yourself have probably wished it a few times over. Just because you feel some sort of guilt over the whole Marian thing is no cause for you to act like you haven't been an active participant in wanting to bring her down since you got here. She's going to die and the rest of us will be better off for it."

"Will Henry?"

"The lad has a good head on his shoulders, he'll get over it. He has you."

"You are unbelievable. I can't believe I ever let you touch me. When I met you I couldn't stand you, but you know I thought you had changed. You haven't though. You are still out for you and no one else. Meanwhile there is a woman across town who has changed. She had changed, and she is a good person. She doesn't deserve what is happening to her. I will not let you or anyone else try and diminish or take away from the person she is now – a person I am happy I've gotten to meet and learn about."

"Fine, noted. But what's happening with her doesn't have anything to do with us except that it's keeping you from moving on with your life, moving on with me. No one understands you like I do Swan and you know that."

He came a step toward her, and she took a step back.

"I mean it, if you come near me, or Henry, or Regina, you will wish that you never found me in New York. And if I hear of you saying anything about Regina dying in public again, I will find you and I will forget I am sheriff when I do. She's the mother of my son and you will respect her for that if nothing else."

She left even though he called after her.

…

Emma carried in a couple of bags of groceries and sent Henry after the others when she arrived at Regina's later that evening. She was putting them away when Regina came in and started to help.

"Sorry I'm later than expected," Emma said. "I had things to catch up on today."

"It's quite all right. You aren't my employee or anything. You don't have to be here at set times. You don't have to be here at all if you didn't want to be. I know this … this has to be an intrusion on your life."

Regina had actually been thinking about it since Emma had left when they got back from Boston. The other woman had been spending a lot of time at her place, making sure Henry was ok, and making sure she was ok. She had found she looked forward to it, especially the evenings when Emma would stick around after dinner. It was good to have an adult to talk to.

She also knew that Emma had a life outside of this – outside of cancer.

She didn't want to be a burden on Henry and she realized she didn't want to be a burden on Emma either.

"It's fine," Emma said.

Regina saw Emma take something from a grocery bag and nearly dropped it. Regina immediately came forward and took her hand into hers. "What happened here?" Regina said turning the hand over – it was bruised up and swollen.

"It's nothing," Emma said trying to take it back. "I had to deal with an unsavory person today is all."

"Unsavory or not, you should've gone to the hospital to have this checked out."  
"Nothing's broken."

"That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt," Regina said letting go. She went to the freezer and pulled out one of the ice packs, which she had mostly been using when she got hot and wrapped it in towel. She placed it over the swollen part.

"What's wrong?" Henry asked as he came in with more groceries.

"Nothing," his moms answered at the same time. They looked at each other and Regina then turned to Henry. "Your mom hurt her hand today at work. It's not broken or anything, just sore. Can you run upstairs and grab a couple of ibuprofen for her?"

"Yeah," he said putting the bags down and leaving the room.

"I'm fine. Really," Emma said.

"I have no doubt that you are but humor me at least," Regina said. "Sit there with the ice on and when he returns take the aspirin. It will help with the pain."

Regina started to put away the rest of the groceries and Emma sat there and watched. When Henry returned she took the pills and Regina made her continue to sit there while she and Henry finished up.

"Have you eaten?" Regina asked her. She and Henry had already had their dinner.

"No, but I can grab something at home."

"Nonsense. You just brought in groceries, and don't think I didn't notice Henry putting away some of those frozen French bread pizzas you have gotten him hooked on. I will prepare that for you."

Regina pulled out one of the boxes, read the directions – rejecting the idea of putting it in the microwave and instead placed it on a sheet in the oven. She sat down across from Emma as they waited for it to get done.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?"

"It's not important. How was your day?"

"A classic avoidance technique but I suppose I will allow it this time. My day was good. I slept well last night and felt like I had more energy today than I had in a while."

"You didn't overdo things, did you?"

"I did not," Regina smiled. "I knew if I did there would be a lecture from you."

"Damn straight," Emma smiled.

They talked about other things until the pizza was ready and Regina served it on a plate for Emma and took the ice pack and put it back in the freezer until Emma was done eating. She was amazed at how her comfort level around the sheriff had changed so dramatically. For instance, she knew that even though she gave Emma a fork, she would pick the pizza up and eat it. She knew she wouldn't wait for it to cool down, just start biting into it despite the fact it was still hot.

All these little things kept adding up day after day. Each one made her feel like she knew Emma better but she didn't know enough. She spent so much time keeping people at a distance from her that the idea she actually wanted to know more about Emma surprised her. Maybe it was because Emma really was like no one she had ever met before.

After eating her food Regina insisted that Emma put the ice pack back on. Despite insisting she as fine, Emma relented to the request. They moved on to the living room and Henry joined them for a movie. Regina told Henry and Emma to take the couch as she was tired of staying on it, but this time Emma protested and in the end they all sat there – Henry between the two women.

As the movie ended Henry tapped Regina lightly and pointed at Emma, whose head was back against the couch as she slept. Regina motioned for Henry to get up and Regina managed to get Emma to lie down without fully waking her. She had mumbled something and briefly opened her eyes but Regina ignored both and got her settled down, placing a blanket on her and turning off the lights and television.

…

Emma woke more than a little surprised to find she was on Regina's couch. She remembered watching a movie with her and Henry but not much about it. She must have fallen asleep and instead of waking her to send her home, Regina must have decided to let her sleep there. She thought again about how Regina had changed. The old Regina would never have allowed that to happen, of course the old Regina wouldn't have allowed her in the house at all if she could have helped it.

Since she had stepped down as mayor and people found out she had cancer, the sentiment around town had been more sympathetic toward her. She knew Killian was right in that people in this town probably had wished her dead on occasion, but that was before when she was the Evil Queen and that wasn't who she was now. She had helped save this town and its citizens on multiple occasions. She had sided with them over her own sister.

"You seem lost in thought this morning."

Emma turned to see Regina at the door. "Waking up is a process."

"Well when the process is over, breakfast," Regina said before leaving.

Yep, Emma thought, she has definitely changed.

They ate breakfast and Emma told Henry she would take him to school that morning.

"How is your hand?" Regina asked.

"It's good. Thanks," Emma said.

"You know this is a small town and if I have learned anything it's that people in small towns like to talk. Whatever happened with it, will get around."

"Of that I have no doubt."  
"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"

"It's not worth talking about. He's not worth talking about."

"Killian?"

Emma merely nodded.

"Well whatever happened, I'm sorry that it has upset you."

"Thank you."

…

Over the course of the next week, Emma found she was looking forward to the next trip to Boston. Regina had been feeling better and she was sure that this time the doctor would have positive news to share with them.

She had been over at Regina's house every day, and had even spent the night again after another late night talk. Regina had showed her some of the sketches she had been working on and showing Henry. Regina certainly had talent, Emma thought, but she refrained from asking her why she never used it until now. She was sure the story wasn't happy one given what she knew of Regina's upbringing.

But she got to see sketches of Regina's father, Daniel, and even one of Snow as a child. That one she gave to Emma.

Regina would tell Henry and Emma different stories from the Enchanted Forest, which were like hearing different fairy tales. There were stories about ogre wars, which Henry like the best, and stories about horrible people being outwitted, which were Emma's favorites.

Emma even went as far as telling Regina she should write them down and illustrate them so the younger generations of Storybrooke would have them.

She was working at the station when her phone rang. It was her mom.

"Hey, did you get Henry dropped off ok?"

She was too busy today to pick up Henry from school so she asked her mom to do it.

"Emma, we are … we're at the hospital."

"What!"

"We found Regina unconscious on the floor. She wasn't waking up."

Emma had been interrogating a suspect in a robbery so wasn't around the scanner to hear any emergency call. This can't be happening, she thought. Regina was doing better.

"Emma?"

"Um, yeah, tell Henry I will be right there."

She hung up and grabbed her coat.

"She has to be ok," Emma said to herself as she started the car. "She has to be."


	13. Chapter 13

Emma waited with Henry for Dr. Whale to come out and let them know what was going on. Snow went back to Regina's house with Emma's keys to lock up and to bring back Regina's medications in case one of them was needed and not on hand at the hospital. Emma's leg kept shaking up and down as she sat waiting. Even Henry had said when she got there that Regina had been doing better lately. She tried to say calming things but the truth was she was just as worked up about it as he was right now.

Finally, Dr. Whale came out. "She's awake; you can go see her now."

"How is she?"

"You should go talk to her. She could use the company."

Emma now knew it wasn't good.

She held on to Henry's shoulder as they followed the directions back to her room. Regina was sitting up in bed when they arrived. Emma stopped in the doorway as Henry rushed to her bedside.

"Are you ok?"

Regina didn't answer, but pulled him in for a hug.

She looked up at Emma. "No more road trips to Boston it would appear."

…

Snow entered Regina's home and made sure lights were turned off and got the tray of pills which was where Emma had told her it would be. She paused though when she saw the open sketchbook with a drawing of the castle back home. Emma had mentioned that Regina had artistic talent but Snow had no idea she was this good. She flipped through it, stopping at pages of places she remembered including the spot where she first met Regina.

When she saw the one of her and Charming on their wedding day she nearly dropped the book. It was almost like seeing a photograph it was that detailed.

There were then a bunch of blank pages which she figured Regina hadn't gotten to and she was about to put the book down when her eye caught a bit of sketch. She turned to the page and sat on the couch.

These two facing pages had a series of sketches – all of Emma.

There was Emma in her jacket, a profile of her, her standing, her sitting, Emma with Henry and one of only her face.

They were – beautiful, Snow thought. Regina had seemed to capture the essence of her daughter. She wondered if Emma knew about these.

…

Emma had taken Henry and dropped him off at her parent's for the night. He had wanted to stay with Regina, but she told him that wasn't possible. She knew she should stay too and she did promise to come back, but for now she needed to take a drive and clear her head.

Regina's body had begun attacking the donor stem cells, she had explained to her and Henry. Her body was literally fighting back against the one thing that they had hoped would save her. The only option now was amputation, she said.

It was the way she said that bothered Emma. There were no tears, no anger, nothing but straight-forward no nonsense reciting of the facts.

She wanted Regina to get angry, she realized. She wanted to see her get upset and rage against the world. She wanted her to fight.

Regina wasn't going to fight. Emma knew that the moment she walked into the room and saw she had taken off her wig. Her head had a small coating of fuzz, that Emma wasn't sure classified as hair any longer. Emma guessed that being faced with losing a leg, the vanity of having hair no longer mattered.

Emma headed back to the hospital. It was past visiting hours, but in a Storybrooke they never seemed to enforce them anyway.

Regina was asleep so she took a seat next to the bed.

They weren't going to take the leg immediately, but it would be done soon. Dr. Whale wanted her to rest up a bit first. There was just too much going on inside of her body, he said. Emma had pulled him aside while Regina and Henry had been having some private time. She asked him if there was any other option, but he just shook his head no. The thing was, he said the stem cells they had appeared to be working before her body suddenly decided to treat them like the foreign matter they technically were.

It wasn't like they hadn't known going into this that her body rejecting the stem cells wasn't a possibility. Emma had asked why the first treatment hadn't reacted that way, and Whale said there really was no way to know. As he explained just because the first treatment had taken was never a guarantee the next one would, otherwise the anti-rejection medicine wouldn't have been needed.

Emma had asked Regina the question early on –showing her ignorance again – if she couldn't just cure the cancer with magic. She was surprised Regina hadn't laughed at her, but instead she explained that healing magic was a specialty magic. Yes, there were simple healing spells people like her could learn, but to do real healing magic it was something people in their world who had magical abilities had to hone. And even if such a person was in town the problem was that it was cancer – it wasn't something that was known in their world so the person wouldn't know where to begin to try and heal it and healing magic had to be precise.

Science, Regina had said. Science was probably the only thing could save her.

Emma knew she should resign herself to the fact Regina was going to lose the leg. She would lose it and would need even more help probably than she did now – at least at the beginning. While she was confident Regina could handle the physical demands of it, it was the emotional toll it would take that she was unsure about. The woman, who normally wasn't great at hiding her emotions, was suddenly repressing them and Emma worried what would happen when she could do so no longer.

She continued to sit there watching her sleep. Maybe 40 minutes passed by and Emma realized Regina was sleeping so deeply she hadn't moved at all. If it weren't for her breathing she would have thought … but she pushed the thought from her mind. She was just sleeping.

"Just sleeping," she said out loud. "That's it."

She rushed from the room.

…

Emma beat at the door when her ringing of the doorbell was ignored. Finally it was opened.

"Sheriff Swan," Mr. Gold said sternly and Emma didn't wait for an invite in, merely walking in.

"The sleeping curse, the one Regina used on my mom. How does it work?"

"Perhaps if you come by the shop during normal business hours we can discuss the finer points of magic," he said.

"It's late I know. I am sorry, but I need to know how it works."

"It's a sleeping curse, it puts people to sleep, something I should be doing."

"What's going on?" Belle said coming out into the foyer.

"Our sheriff wants to know how a sleeping curse works. I assume you aren't asking for hypothetical reasons."

"No. It's for Regina."

"Well, in that case, please let me help you."

Emma wanted to punch him in that moment. Here was the man who in some ways was more responsible for Regina casting the curse that brought them to Storybrooke than Regina was herself.

"What's wrong?" Belle asked seeing Emma's agitation.

"Regina's cancer, it's not getting better. They are going to amputate her leg. I was thinking of a way to help her which is why I need to know how the sleeping curse works."

"How will a sleeping curse help with cancer?"

"It won't."

"Then why are we having this conversation?" Gold said.

"Because the sleeping curse is just the first part. What I need to know is if she is under the curse, will all her body functions stop? Will the cancer stop like it was frozen in time?"

"Yes. Now are we done?"

"For now, but I will need your help with the second part."

"What's the second part?" Belle asked.

"The stem cell treatment Regina was under going. It was working, but her body started to reject cells. We need cells that match hers better. We need a family member match."

"But all her family is dead."

"Which is why I need your help," she said to Gold. "I need a way to travel back in time. You said when Killian and I came back that there was no way to remove that portal in the stable, but it was also useless. Well you didn't say useless, you said it couldn't be activated by just anyone. I need to know how to activate."

"You want to bring back one of Regina's family members," Belle said.

"Yes."

"Which one if I might ask?" Gold said.

"Well I figure one of her parents might be a better match, but I also don't want to risk going back that far. I was thinking I could back just long enough to get Zelena from that cell and bring her forward. I am talking months, not years on going back in time."

"I will not help. That woman killed my son," Gold said.

"If you don't help Regina could have far worse than her leg cut off. She could die."

"Not my problem," he said. "I answered your original question. Consider it a freebie and leave my home."

Emma looked at Belle and then back to him. There was so much she wanted to say, about how his selfish actions to find son had cost people their lives, and Neal's life was cut short because of someone else with selfish desires. It was a vicious cycle, one Emma was sure that Regina was done with, and one she thought maybe even Gold was done with. Clearly she was wrong.

"I will succeed," she said to him. "And when I do, if you go near Regina or Zelena, it won't matter that you are married to someone I consider to be a good friend. I will end the Dark One once and for all."

"You don't have a sleeping curse, you don't know how to activate the portal, so forgive me if I sleep soundly knowing you can't do a damn thing. Good night sheriff."

She merely nodded and left. She got to her car feeling an intense anger for his smug demeanor. But she would show him. He was wrong – she knew exactly where to find a sleeping curse already made up. Coincidentally, it was Regina who made it.


	14. Chapter 14

"This may be the stupidest plan I have ever heard of," Regina said, after Emma got done explaining how she wanted to use the sleeping curse to effectively put Regina in coma where her body systems would shut down. "Tell me what happens when I don't wake up."

"We already know Henry can break the curse. It was your original plan back in the Enchanted Forest when you made the potion. You kissed Henry and broke the memory curse so there is no reason not to believe that it won't work this time," she argued back.

"Sleeping curse aside, Gold is right, you don't know how to activate the portal and neither do I."

Emma needed to speed up the conversation. Regina was tired and getting more tired by the second.

"There has to be someway to use that portal."

"I agree. But I don't know how to do it. Perhaps if I could consult Gold on it we might come up with something but that isn't going to happen. He will probably be the first at my funeral to raise a glass in toast."

"Hey, no talks abut funerals, we agreed."

"No, we didn't. You simply ordered me not to talk about it especially in front of Henry. This leg amputation isn't a cure all. It's a step to keep it from spreading but that doesn't mean I won't get sick again or the cancer won't pop up somewhere else in me. My immune system is completely compromised. I am trying to be realistic."

"Then get behind this plan."

"What makes you think Zelena would even allow a doctor to harvest her stem cells to help me that is assuming you can get her back?"

"I wasn't really planning on giving her a choice."

The response earned her a smile from Regina which she gladly returned.

"We are back to the portal then," Regina said. "I need to give this some thought."

"After a nap?" she asked as Regina yawned.

"Yes, nap time," she said. "Don't tell Henry about this."

"Um why not?"

"You told him already didn't you?"

"Maybe. What's the problem with him knowing?"

"I don't want to give him false hope."

"We all need hope, even you Regina. Get some sleep, but as soon you wake up start thinking of all the magical ways to get that portal to open," she said taking her hand and squeezing it a little before she left.

Regina lay there for a while after Emma left thinking about the plan. She had been more than a little surprised when Emma had said she might have a plan to allow her to keep her leg. She wouldn't have guessed that the idea would involve a sleeping curse and her sister.

She had to give Emma credit for thinking outside the box.

She didn't have much hope that it would succeed. Before Zelena, Regina wasn't even sure time travel would be possible. Yet the portal had opened when it drug Emma and Hook through it – how did that happen? It would take an influx of magic that is for sure, but how much, what kind of magic and how did you control where you went? There were a lot of factors to think about – more than she could consider right now.

Her eyes were fighting to close.

She would need to remember to thank Emma for her efforts, whether it worked out or not.

…

Emma circled the portal. She knew she had no chance of figuring out how to open it. That was Regina's department. She had reviewed the surveillance tape at the sheriff's office of Zelena's last moments so she knew what time to go back to. She thought the whole thing odd. It didn't make any sense. Zelena shouldn't have had magic to do anything with her pendant gone.

All of it screamed to her that it was all wrong. She didn't know why she felt that way.

…

Regina woke to find Henry in the chair next to her bed.

"I love you," she said to him.

"I know. I love you too," he said.

"You know um things are going be ok. Lots of people survive and adapt after losing a limb and I'm not going to be any different. We'll get through this together."

"We still have Emma's plan too, so you might not have to lose your leg."

"I wish she hadn't told you about that."

"Why not?"

"I don't want you to get your hopes up in case it doesn't work. There are a lot of variables to think about and not a lot of time to figure them out. The longer we wait, the more chance there is of the cancer spreading. Not to mention the fact that there are consequences to doing magic of any kind, much less this kind of magic. Look what happened with Marian. I can't very well be upset with your mom over that and then turn around and give her permission to do this when we don't know what could happen. I would be doing it for purely selfish reasons and those reasons in the past have caused way more harm than good."

"But it's not like you are doing it for a bad reason."

"I didn't think my reasons were bad before, but they were."

"I don't want you to have to lose your leg if there is a way to stop it. It's not fair."

Regina looked at him with so much love in her eyes. She couldn't imagine her life without him in it.

"There are a lot of things about life that isn't fair," she said. "I am sure there are people in this town who think I am only getting what I deserve."

"Like Hook?"

She gave him a curious look. "What do you mean by that?"

"I heard Emma talking to Ruby about how she broke up with Hook because Hook was saying bad stuff about you."

Regina thought back to how Emma didn't want to talk about what happened with Killian at least not with her. Now she knew why.

"I've done a lot of bad things in my life, as you know. There are people who are never going to believe that I've changed. I accept that. I'm ok with that because those people don't mean nearly as much to me as the people who do believe I have changed – you being at the top of that list."

"And Emma would be number two?"

"I guess maybe she would be," Regina said. "I would not have gotten along as well as I have had if it hadn't been for her. I owe her."

"I don't think she sees it as an owing thing."

"She probably doesn't. Being the Savior she just naturally seems to do the right thing."

"It's been really nice having you both around so much – together I mean."

"It has been," she admitted. "I wish …"

"What?"

"I wish it hadn't taken cancer for your mother and me to get along is all."

…

Snow went with Emma into the crypt below Regina's mausoleum where she kept her magical items. They were there to pick up not only the potion that contained the sleeping curse but also a couple of books Regina asked her to bring. It was research to see if she could figure out how to get the portal to work.

Emma had explained to her and Charming about the plan at the same time she told Henry. She knew it was a long shot but Emma seemed confident that it would work. Later on when it was just her and Emma still up she had asked Emma why she was doing this. Emma had given her a confused look as if the answer should be obvious and Emma gave the obvious answer – she was doing this for Henry. But Snow guessed the reasons were more complicated than that but for now maybe that is how Emma viewed it.

She thought back to those sketches Regina had done of Emma.

Emma went through a couple of chests until she found the books Regina had requested. Snow meanwhile found the sleeping curse. She held in her hand and thought about how Regina had once stood before her and forced her to drink it. She had done it save Charming and in the end Charming and their love saved her.

Could Henry's love for Regina really overcome this magic? Snow hoped so. She never figured Regina and her would become proper friends but not being at constant odds with the woman felt good. She felt like the weight of years had been lifted. They had both hurt each other, but in the end they decided to move on from the hate.

She was one of the people in town who truly believed Regina had changed. She had seen it first hand. The woman really did deserve a second chance at happiness. When she learned of Regina's cancer she was afraid that chance would never come. Now she held in her hands a potion that could be the key to helping her and she wondered if it could really be done as simply as Emma seemed to think it could be done.

"I can take that," Emma said holding out her hand for the potion.

Snow continued to stare at it though.

"When we were in the Enchanted Forest after Pan's curse, Regina tried to bury her own heart, did I tell you that?" Snow asked.

"No."

"She sort of snuck off from the rest of us and I found her in the woods. She was burying her heart. She had taken it out because she didn't want to feel the pain of loss that she was feeling because of Henry. I convinced her to put her heart back in, that we would find a way to return to you and to Henry. When Robin told me she had made this potion because she thought she could avoid that pain again in a different way – sleep it away until Henry came to pull her from the curse, I wasn't surprised. Regina has … she loved Daniel. I didn't understand it all back then because I was a kid. Looking back though I see that she loved him and that pain was too much. It was too much and she didn't know how to deal with it. In some ways she still doesn't know how to deal with pain. You say she's been unemotional, at least outwardly, about the cancer. I think it's because she doesn't know how to deal with it or she is afraid of dealing with it. I hope this plan works, but if it doesn't she is going to be in even more pain. And she will try to bury it. Even if it does work, she will try and push the memory of that pain away. You can't let her do that. You need to get her to open up to you."

"I know she needs to, but she's unwilling to even let me talk about it. You had better luck than I did when you got her to put her heart back in, maybe you should talk to her."

"No," Snow said handing over the potion. "It has to be you."


	15. Chapter 15

Emma entered the hospital room to find Regina was sleeping again. She had been there earlier to deliver the books Regina had asked for. It appeared she was still going through them when she fell asleep as there was one opened up on her. Emma picked it up and looked at it – in Elvish so she knew it was useless for her to look at it.

She closed it and put it aside.

Regina opened her eyes as she did so.

"Hey sleepy head," Emma said.

Regina rolled her eyes, "that will take on new meaning for me if we do this."

"What do you mean if we do this?"

"I am not sure about this."

"Henry can do this, he can bring you back."

"I don't doubt that. It's the bringing Zelena back that bothers me. You brought Marian back here – someone who was supposed to exist any longer – without thinking of the consequences. How can I condone bringing Zelena forward?"

"It's not the same thing. Zelena hasn't been gone that long."

"It's not how long she has been gone; it's what she will do when you bring her forward. What if she kills someone? That would be on us for doing this. My leg is not worth someone's life."

"That's not going to happen. Between the two of us we will keep Zelena in check."

Regina still looked doubtful.

"Are you afraid, of losing your leg I mean?"

Regina shrugged. "I told Henry we will be ok. Lots of people have lost limbs and dealt with it."

"I didn't ask you what you told Henry. I asked if you were afraid."

"I've known there was a chance of this happening for a while now. I've read up on it so I have an idea of what to expect. It will be a while before I can be fitted for a prosthetic and even after that it may have to be changed. I will still be able to drive and all that."

Emma leaned forward in her seat. "I am asking you how you feel about it, not what you know about it. Why can't you just talk to me about what you are feeling?"

Regina turned her head. "What I am feeling doesn't make any difference to what is happening with my body."

"It makes a difference to me," Emma said reaching out to touch her hand. "Regina, you can't keep your feelings buried forever."

"I can try," Regina said, moving her hand away.

"You can and you will fail," Emma said. "I am not asking you to talk about this because I want this to be even more painful for you than it already is."

"Then why are you asking this of me?"

"Because you need to talk about it. You need to," Emma said taking her hand again. "Look at me. No matter what happens you aren't alone in this, and I am not just talking about Henry. I am here too, and my parents, Ruby, Granny, Tink, Archie and others. You have made horrible mistakes in the past, no one is overlooking that, but you will be making another if you think you can do this on your own or that your feelings don't matter."

She was quiet for a long time. Emma was sure that she was merely waiting for Emma to leave.

"I don't … I don't want to … I don't want to lose my leg," she said finally. "It scares the hell out of me. It's weird because death, death doesn't scare me as much as this. If I died, I am still me. If I lose my leg, what if I am not me?"

"You will still be you," Emma said. "I promise. You will still be the same pain-in-the-ass bossy Mayor Mills." She added a smile to the end, sensing that Regina needed a little casualness after her confession.

"Are we done sharing our feelings?"

"For now," Emma said. "We don't want to overdue it."

"Good. Now about this plan of yours, you are going to have to do something you aren't going to like."

"What is that?"

"Learn some magic and by learn it I mean this isn't something you can do on instinct. You are going to have to learn and actual spell."

"Is it in Elvish?"

"Yes, but don't worry I can handle the translation."

"This spell will open the portal?"

"I have no idea," she said. "But trial and error is all I got at this point."

"Alright, then let's begin."

…

Emma stood just outside the portal. Her parents were standing nearby. They refused to let her do this alone. She raised her hands out in front of her. She took several breaths and then recited the spell Regina had drilled into her head for three hours straight the night before and again for an hour that morning.

She felt the magic flow through her and out of her.

She opened her eyes and saw the outline of the portal glow, but then it stopped.

Nothing else happened.

Maybe she did it wrong. She knew she hadn't done it wrong, but that was her hope at this point as she raised her hands outward again and repeated the spell.

Again nothing.

She looked at her parents.

"She said if it didn't work there were others you could try."

"How many others?" Emma said. "She doesn't have much time. Dr. Whale said in two days that leg has to come off or the sleeping curse has to be used."

Snow came up to her and embraced her. "Two days is still a lot of time to perform more spells."

Emma nodded even though she wasn't feeling that optimistic about it. She knew even Regina wasn't confident about this spell working, but she still didn't want to have to walk back into that room and tell her it didn't work.

…

Regina had gotten used to having he occasional visitor – mostly Emma and Henry, but others like Tink and Archie had stopped by. That is why she was surprised when Mr. Gold walked in.

"How are you feeling?" he asked sitting down on the chair.

"Horrible," Regina said. "Thanks for your lack of concern."

"If I was concerned you would be asking me what I wanted from you."

"True. So why are you here? Did you want one last look before my leg is cut off?"

"I thought our illustrious sheriff was working on preventing that."

"Without your help, yes she is. I take it you know how to activate the portal."

"I could do it yes."

"But you won't. Tell me is that because you don't want Emma bringing back Zelena or because you want to see me suffer."

"Seeing you suffer is an added bonus."

"You used me," she said. "You used me to cast the curse so you could get here to find your son. And me, I was stupid enough to let you direct me in every way you wanted. You must have laughed every night after our training sessions knowing you had me right where you wanted me."

"I did."

"I am sorry," she said. "I am sorry for what happened to Neal."

"Do you think saying you are sorry will sway my decision. I assure you it won't."

"I know it won't, but I am sorry. I don't think I could have said that before, but having cancer has given me a new outlook on life, particularly my life and how many mistakes I have made. The curse was one of them and despite your hand in it, I can't blame you. I am the one who cast it. At the time, I wanted to cast it. There was no stopping me. I killed my own father to do it. I did that. Is cancer a payback for all I have done? No, probably not. But in the end it won't matter, will it?"

"No it won't," Gold said.

"What are you doing here?"

They turned to see Emma coming in the room.

"Just paying my respects," Gold said as he stood. He walked to the door as Emma made sure she was between Regina and him. "You know Zelena was better than you were. She was simply better with magic. You learned it as a means to an end. She lived it. She was a formidable opponent. You never were."

He walked out and Emma looked at Regina, "Are you ok?"

"The spell didn't work?"

Emma shook her head no, unable to say it out loud.

Regina nodded in response. "Let's move on to the next two spells. We won't spend as much time on these. You will need to learn them quickly and go try them. There is a way to activate the portal, and if Gold can do it, we can figure it out. I am not going to let that bastard win without a fight."


	16. Chapter 16

Emma sat outside of the portal feeling like a complete failure. Nothing she and Regina had tried had worked. Finally, Dr. Whale came into the room and before he could say anything Regina looked at him and said, "I'm ready."

That was just over three weeks ago.

"Your parents are worried about you."

Emma didn't look up; she didn't need to as she recognized the voice.

"I'm fine," she said keeping her eyes on the portal.

"Can I ask you a question?" Belle said as she sat down beside Emma, who made no acknowledgement of the question itself. "Why didn't you ask me to intercede with Rumple?"

"Because that wouldn't have been fair to you," she said. "You are his wife, you are happily married. It wouldn't have been fair to put you in that position."

"I appreciate that. I don't know what I would have done if you had asked."

"Doesn't matter. He would never have helped, not even for you. Sorry, that's just the way I feel about it," Emma said.

They lapsed into silence.

"Henry came to the shop that morning and he asked him to help," Belle said. "I didn't know if you knew that. Rumple thought maybe you had sent him, but I didn't think so."

"Henry told me after the fact."

"How is he? How is he handling all of this?"

"As well as he can I guess. Regina was better at explaining things to him than me. I tend to be more straight-forward, but she um she just would have handled it better than me."

More silence.

"I am sorry for what it is worth," Belle said.

"I don't want sound rude, but what are you doing out here?" Emma asked. "If you are worried about me doing something stupid like going after Rumple, you don't need to worry. Regina made me promise I wouldn't do that because it would be in her words it would be 'incredibly idiotic and something your parents wouldn't even be idiotic enough to do.' I gave her my word and I intend to keep it."

"That's not why I am here."

"Then why are you here."

"You seem like you need a friend, but I can go if you want me to,"

"She was sorry too, for what she did to you, what she did to a lot of people. But she had changed. She changed for the better," Emma said, a tear going down her face.

"I know," Belle said putting a comforting arm around her.

…

Emma walked into the hospital room. It was dark and she had to turn on a small light next to the bed. It let out a small bit of illumination – enough for Emma to make out Regina's features.

"I went back to the portal today," Emma said as she sat down. "I know, I know, I've been out there like every day and I should stop torturing myself. You are starting to sound like my mom when you say things like that to me. You should know by now that I tend to do what I want and at times act impulsively."

"Anyway, Belle stopped by while I was out there. She asked how Henry was doing. I honestly didn't know what to say because I am not sure how he is doing. I'm afraid he might be mad or resent me a little bit for not being able to save you. It's not like I didn't try and I am still trying but damn it why won't that portal open?"

"I know, I know I should stop coming in here every day just to tell you the portal isn't open," she sighed. "I keep waiting for you to open and your eyes and tell me what an idiot I am for telling you something that is as painfully obvious as the fact the portal isn't open. But then I remember you can't just wake up and tell me that. If you could wake up you'd probably be yelling at me. In my defense though I'd like to point out that you didn't give me much of a choice. You were going to let him cut your leg off. He was Frankenstein in another life – like I was going to let that happen."

"Just joking; he would have been fine. Besides it's not as if the curse would have worked if you weren't agreeable to taking it, you just didn't know that is what you were taking. Look if it makes you feel better, when Henry wakes you up, I will give you a freebie curse to use on me. Just remember, Henry would be upset if you did anything permanent to me."

She continued to sit there for the next 30 minutes or so talking to Regina about sports, the weather, anything her rambling mind came up with.

"I got to go," she said finally standing up. She looked once more at her sleeping form. "I will be back tomorrow."

She knew she'd also be back at the portal. She had to find a way to make it work.

…

Emma got done with her night patrol and grabbed some unhealthy fast food on her way to the hospital. She greeted the nurses – knowing them all by name and shift – and went to Regina's room. She pulled the chair back a bit, sat down and propped her feet up on the bed.

"I can't wait until Myers gets back from medical leave. I mean really did you have to champion some policy where city employees got two weeks off when their wives gave birth. It's not like the guy is doing the work during delivery, believe me," Emma said. "If Neal had been in the delivery room with me for Henry I probably would have torn his arm off and beat him with it."

"Speaking of the kid, he has been working on some Mother's Day present. I have no idea if it is for me or for you, but he's being secretive about it. Guess we will find out in less than a week as it is. He finally broke down and asked Snow if she remembered what it was like being under the curse. I wonder how long he had been holding that question in. He doesn't remember much about it when he under it, so he went to the next best source. I believe she sugar-coated her answer appropriately, although I somewhat doubt you are dreaming of rainbows and puppies."

"I know it's early in the season, but I got to say I am worried about my Red Sox," she said changing the subject. "You should see the batting averages these guys are putting up. There are AAA teams that put up way better numbers…"

…

Emma took her seat and closed her eyes as she did so.

"Please tell me back-to-school shopping isn't like this every year," she said her eyes still closed. "How much stuff do kids really need to go to school with? Next year, you do all the shopping, ok?"

She woke later, realizing she had fallen asleep and looked at Regina once more before leaving.

…

She had to make her stop quick tonight, which was the first thing she explained to Regina once she reached her room.

"Let's just hope Leroy doesn't get drunk and do something stupid like try and streak down Main Street for the hell of it. I don't think anyone needs to see that," Emma said. "There's just something about Halloween that makes people act like jackasses. Well I got to get out there and keep the street safe and all that. I will talk to you tomorrow."

…

"You know sheriff, wasn't it Einstein that said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results?" Gold said as he approached the portal.

Emma had been standing outside of it for the better part of an hour.

"Actually, I think the definition of insanity is taking on the Dark One, who can probably kill you in a heart beat but who deserves to get his ass jammed into his throat nonetheless. Lucky for you I am not insane yet," she said. "Now get out of here."

"Tsk, tsk sheriff. How long do you plan on doing this to yourself?"

"That is none of your business."

"I didn't come here to antagonize you."

"Really because I see no other reason for you to be here."

"Have the boy wake his mother," Gold said. "Wake her up. Is losing a leg really worse than losing years of her life, years of watching Henry grow up? Do you think she will forgive you if she one day wakes to an adult Henry?"

"Leave our son out of this."

"Fine, let me put it to you another way. She may seem like she is dead, but her soul is out there and what it is going through is not pleasant. They don't call it a curse for no reason. You will not open that portal. You don't have it in you to do that kind of magic. Wake her up sheriff."

He limped off.

Emma continued to stand there thinking about what he had said. It's not like she hadn't thought about it as the months had passed. She knew most people except maybe Henry had figured that the portal was a lost cause at this point. And really without Regina's help it probably was.

Regina had been just as frustrated as she was that she couldn't figure out a way to open the portal. She had become convinced that what was needed was an influx of magic to jumpstart it. She believed the magic of time travel was in the portal itself but magic was needed to activate.

"An influx of magic," she said to herself. She thought about what Gold had just said and repeated it, "You don't have it in you to do that kind of magic."

She took off running for her car – she knew how to open the portal.

…

"Are you sure about this?" Henry asked as he stood by Regina's bed. He looked at Emma, the hesitation clear in his eyes.

"I know this is a risk," Emma said placing a hand on his shoulder. "But I've tried everything that Regina asked me to do and I don't know enough about magic to do anything on my own. But what if your mom was right and all it takes is a power boost of magic to get it started?"

"I guess I don't understand why you can't do it then."

"Regina once told me that most people, herself included, didn't believe time travel magic was possible. Zelena obviously found a way to do it, but look at what she had to do in order to create that portal. Look at who she was. Gold he knows how to activate the portal and he could do it. I was looking at it wrong. The influx of magic isn't the issue – it's the type of magic. He was right, I don't have it in me – my magic is light magic. We need dark magic."

"But mom has light magic now too."

"That doesn't mean she is not capable of dark magic. Look I hate to have to ask her to use that magic as well, and she hasn't done major magic because of the toll it would take on her body. I am hoping she is at least well rested enough now and that I can provide her with a magical power boost of her own so she can get that portal open."

He looked at Regina and then back at Emma. "I miss her."

"I know," Emma said. "It's time to bring her back."

Henry leaned over the bed and kissed Regina's forehead.

Nothing happened.

He looked at Emma in desperation and then tried again with the same result.

"That's not possible," Emma said as she looked in horror at Regina who continued to be under the sleeping curse. "She should have woken. You love her."

"What are we going to do?" Henry asked.

Emma couldn't respond. She had no idea what to do.


	17. Chapter 17

Snow sat next to Regina's bed. She wondered if this was what it was like when she was under the curse. Did it seem like she was dead? Well, of course it did, she told herself.

There was some irony in her sitting there at the bedside of Regina, the former Evil Queen, who was the reason she had taken the sleeping curse in the first place. But they had put their differences behind them – yet now there was a whole other issue lingering there and Snow couldn't even confront her about it.

"I saw your sketchbook," Snow said. "You captured our world in amazing detail. It makes me wonder what life would have been like if you had focused on your obvious talent and not on … sorry, we agreed that we were putting the past behind us."

"Anyway, I also saw the drawings of Emma. They were … exquisite. You must have put a lot time in to them. A lot of time and a lot of love."

She paused, collecting her thoughts.

"My daughter," Snow said. "Of all the people in our world, in this world, you had to fall in love with my daughter."

Another pause.

"And she fell in love with you. Now here we are. You are in that bed asleep until your true love kisses you and I happen to know who that true love is. She doesn't. She still believes she is doing all of this because of Henry, or maybe she realizes that she cares for you, but hasn't figured it out yet for herself. The question now becomes do I tell her?"

"I haven't even told Charming yet. The thing is, I know that if I did he would tell Emma. He would say that we can't stand in the way of true love, that true love is more than just the two people, that it's symbol of hope for everyone. Maybe that is why I haven't told him."

"You and I have so much history between us, which we have agreed to let be history, but how do I do that when the daughter you forced me to give up, the daughter who grew up without me could now be potentially lost to me again and again because of you. I know it wouldn't really be losing her, but I just got her back. I lost all those years and these last couple don't make up for all the ones that were lost."

"I honestly don't know what to do. Maybe I don't have to do anything. Maybe she will figure it out and kiss you. Maybe she will give up on this idea of curing you and move on with her life. Then I think, how can she move on with her life when a part of her life is lying in this bed waiting."

Snow continued to sit there thinking it through. By the time she left, she still hadn't decided.

…

Emma downed another shot. She should have quit about three shots ago, but she didn't just want to be drunk she wanted to be on the verge of oblivion drunk. She wasn't worried, Ruby was there and would make sure she crashed somewhere safe.

She hadn't originally intended to get drunk. Well she had, just not as drunk as she was getting now.

No, she was blaming this drinking on Killian.

She should have known he would be there. Despite her earlier warning to him, he came up to her and tried flirting with her. She felt anger like she hadn't felt before. How dare he? With Regina lying there unconscious possibly forever how dare he flirt with her like Emma hadn't spent all these weeks trying to help the other woman.

In the end Ruby had to hold her back from trying to kill him. She probably wouldn't have killed him but she felt like it. Ruby had tried to get her to leave at that point but she refused. She wanted oblivion and damn it, she would get it.

…

"Are you ok?" Henry asked Emma, after seeing her the next evening.

"Yeah kid," she said, although she was anything but ok.

Henry had spent the night before at his grandparents while Emma was out with Ruby. She had passed out on Ruby's floor, having been unable to actually get on the couch. Ruby, who was already frustrated over Emma's actions, had left her there. She had woken up after noon and she still felt like if she ate anything she would puke.

She had come to her parents to pick up Henry and hadn't meant to stay long, but once her dad invited her to sit she decided to take him up on the offer. Henry sat beside her.

"Did you go see mom today?"

"No," Emma said. It was the first day she hadn't. She didn't want to see Regina lying there knowing how she had failed. It had been her idea to involve a sleeping curse. She had been so sure that Henry kissing her would wake Regina up. She was wrong. Now Regina was stuck there.

She had no desire to go back there. What could she possibly have to say any longer to the comatose woman? Sorry didn't seem to cut it.

Snow watched her daughter sitting there. She had heard from Ruby earlier so she knew that Emma had gotten drunk, extremely drunk, last night. She could only imagine what feelings were churning around inside of Emma.

It hurt her to see her daughter suffering.

"Come on, we better get going," Emma said to Henry. They got up to leave and Snow almost spoke up, but held her tongue.

Charming locked the door behind Emma and Henry. "She was so sure it would work," Charming said. "And now she feels like failure."

Snow sighed. "I'm not so sure that that her plan was a failure."

"How can you say that?"

"There is something I need to show you."

…

Emma didn't know why her parents insisted she bring Henry to the hospital. The first thing she had asked was if Regina was awake. The answer was of course no. She had no idea why then they would ask her to bring Henry.

She found them in the room with Dr. Whale.

"What's going on?" Emma asked.

"Tell us again about this plan. If we can get Regina to wake, how sure are you that she can open the portal?" Charming asked.

"I don't know for sure. She had me try everything to jump start that portal, but I think the problem is that I have light magic. Rumple can open it. He said I don't have the magic in me to do it. He had to be referring to dark magic. I know Regina has light magic now, but that doesn't mean she isn't capable of dark magic."

"How much strain would it put on her body?" Whale asked.

"I don't know," Emma said "The magic is in us; it draws its powers from us, but I haven't really used it to a point where I was exhausted or anything. Look, this is a moot point anyway; we have no way to wake her up."

"There may be a way," Snow said.

"How?"

"Before we try it, we need to figure out a quick way to do this," Charming said. "She can't be out of the hospital long so once she wakes we need to get her to the portal and then get her back here."

"We can have an ambulance at the entrance," Whale said. "I can go with her in it to make sure she is ok."

"Thank you," Snow said to him.

"I will go make preparations. Don't do this till I get back."

He left and Emma looked at her parents, "don't do what? How do you think you are going to wake her?"

"We're not," Charming said looking at Snow.

"You are," Snow said. "At least we think you can."

"By using my magic?"

"No. By using your love for Regina."

"Come again?"

"Your mom and I think that maybe through all of this, her cancer and everything, that maybe you and Regina have fallen in love with each other."

Emma took a step back. "Love. Regina and I? That's um … no. I mean she and I have grown closer but it's not … it's not love."

"Are you sure?" Snow asked.

Emma looked at Regina lying there. "I may have felt some stuff, but even if I had, it's not like she would have …"

Snow handed her the sketchbook opened to the two pages of the sketches of Emma. As she studied the pages, Emma finally took a seat. Her finger ran down one of the pages.

"Is it true?" Henry asked. "Do you love mom?"

"I um …I do," she said looking at Regina. She stood suddenly moving to the door.

"Where are you going?" Snow asked.

"I just need a moment."

She walked out of the room and then went all the way outside to the parking lot, where she started to pace. She was in love with Regina Mills. She was in love with Henry's other mom. She thought about those drawings in Regina's sketchbook. Was it possible? Did Regina also have feelings for her?

She watched as the ambulance was pulled up in front. Could they do this? Could she really wake Regina? And if so could Regina really have the strength to open the portal?

She allowed the doubts to fill her to the point of overwhelming her. Then she forced it to stop. She couldn't let that doubt stop her. If she doubted, maybe it wouldn't work. Maybe the curse wouldn't sense that she was in love with Regina.

She gave herself another few minutes and then went back inside. Whale was back in the room.

"We're ready," he said.

Everyone looked at Emma and Henry came up and took her hand in his for a moment. She looked down at him and tried to give him a confident smile, but she wasn't sure she pulled it off.

Emma let go and approached the bed. Regina was lying there and she thought about all the times she had sat there talking with her, pretending like Regina could hear her. She leaned over the bed, their lips so close, but she paused a moment.

Then their lips made contact. She felt the wave of magic hit them both and Regina opened her eyes.

"Hey," Emma said.

Regina looked at her, blinking several times. "Emma? What um what are you, what?"

She sat up seeing everyone in the room.

"We need to get going," Whale said.

"Going? What's happening?" Regina asked the confusion evident in her eyes.

"You and Emma are each others true loves," Henry said. "Now you need to open the portal so she can get Zelena so we can save your leg."

Regina looked at him and then at Emma.

"Yeah, sort of took me a moment too," she said.

"We don't have a moment," Whale said. "David, unlock the wheels and let's get her loaded in the ambulance."


	18. Chapter 18

The ambulance was moving fast, but Regina didn't even notice. Emma was giving her the quick rundown of why she believed Regina could open the portal. Her mind was filled with about a million questions but she had yet to voice any of them.

"If you aren't strong enough to open the portal, I thought my magic might be able to help you even if it can't help with the portal itself," Emma said.

"You kissed me and I woke up from a sleeping curse?" Regina said finally. It was the first thing she had actually said since being loaded in the ambulance.

"Yes," Emma said. "We sort of went over this already. Are you feeling ok? I mean of course you aren't but you know are you ok given the circumstances?"

"I am not sure we went over this already," she said. "You kissed me and I woke up?"

Emma looked at Dr. Whale, "is she overmedicated or something?"

"I think she's in shock," Whale said.

"How long was I asleep?"

"Um, a few months," Emma said.

"Months?"

"Well, eight if you want to get technical about it."

"Eight months? I was asleep for eight months. Is Henry ok?"

"Yeah, you saw him there at the hospital. He's with my parents, and they are following the ambulance. Look, I get this is probably overwhelming, but the sooner we get there the sooner you can open the portal and the sooner I get back with Zelena."

"How are you going to get back if your magic won't open it?"

"Um, well once I break Zelena out of jail, she will open it."

"How? She no longer has magic."

"Yeah, but her pendant thing is in the mausoleum you said."

"It was, but it's not now. Seriously is this the best you came up with in eight months?"

"Hey," she said. "And what do you mean the pendant isn't there. Where is it?"

"I don't know. I suspect that when Zelena died, it activated the pendant and that is what caused the portal to open when you and Hook went through it."

"Ok, well I am going to be getting Zelena out before she dies so the pendant should still be there."

"Yes, except you and Hook have to go through that portal."

"What for?"

Regina sighed, "Because your past self has to go through it in order to do the same thing that has already been done, including bringing Marian back. This is exactly what I meant when I said you need to think about the consequences of your actions. You can't mess with the past. It has to be done as it was before."

"But if that happens then Zelena dies and all of this is meaningless."

"Not if your smart about it. You need to go back far enough to get the pendant from the mausoleum first. Then go to the jail, get Zelena, take her to the portal. Make her open it at the exact time it needs to open for you and Hook to travel to the past. Then she can open it again to bring you forward."

"I'm not sure that is even possible. I don't think there is enough time."

"You have to find away. We aren't going to sacrifice Marian for my leg. Your past self has to go through that portal."

"Alright I will figure it out, I promise."

They arrived and Charming helped Whale and the driver get the gurney out of the ambulance. They wheeled it to the portal. Whale looked at Emma. "As soon as you are gone, we are heading back to the hospital. I can't have her out her like this for long. Her immune system is too weak to allow it."

"I understand. I will be back with Zelena like I was never even gone."

"No you won't."

They turned to see Mr. Gold walking toward them. Emma stepped in front of the gurney to put herself between him and Regina.

"I can't allow you to do this," Gold said. "I thought I made myself clear on that point. You will not be bringing Zelena back."

"I am," Emma said.

"She killed my Bae, your son's father, and you dare to think you can bring her back."

"You don't think I have thought about that, about what she did. We all have. But this is her chance to do something good."

"Something good? How many people has Regina killed? You think she deserves to be saved?"

"Everyone deserves to be saved if possible. Even you. Neal believed that."

"I will not let you bring her back. Now you can all leave now, or I will make you leave."

Emma turned to Regina, "Open the portal."

"Regina, don't," Gold said. "You know what I am capable of."

"Yes I do," Regina said but she called her magic up anyway. The moment she did, Gold raised his hand and she screamed in pain, reaching down toward her leg.

"Gold stop it," Emma yelled above Regina's screaming. She wasn't sure what Gold was doing but Regina was in so much pain. "Stop it!"

He put his hand down and Regina stopped screaming but she laid there breathing heavily, whatever it was having taken a toll on her.

"I believe I made my point, now leave."

Regina sat up in the bed and called her magic up again, defying Gold and he again raised his hand toward her. She screamed again in pain but kept a hold of the magic. It didn't last though as she had to release it due to the pain she was in.

"Stop this," a new voice said.  
They all turned to see Belle as she entered. She was looking at Gold, in her hand was the Dark One's dagger. He stopped the magic.

"Belle," he said.

"We've all suffered enough due to magic," she said. "Everyone in this room has seen how it corrupts, it destroys. Maybe we need this. Maybe we need to see that it can be used for good.:

She looked at Regina. "I forgive you," she said. "I forgive you."

"I don't deserve it."

"Maybe not, but I ask that you accept it."

Regina merely nodded at her. Belle moved past them and walked up to Gold. "You are not that person anymore either," she said to him. "You are not the Dark One. You are my husband, and I am asking you to stop this. Let Emma do this. Open the portal for her."

Rumpel looked down at Belle. "I'm sorry Belle, but I can't. I can't."

"Yes you can. Show them the good inside you that I see."

Rumpel looked away from her. He saw Emma there beside Regina's bed, holding her hand, making sure she was ok. The others stood there waiting. He looked again at her.

"I'm sorry," he said. "But I can't let my son's murderer go free."

Regina started to scream again. Emma held on to her, but she looked at Belle.

"Stop it," Belle said holding the dagger up in front of him. "I command you to stop."

But he didn't stop and Belle looked at the dagger in confusion, unsure if she was supposed to do something else.

"It's a fake dagger," Regina choked out before the pain became too much.

Belle took one look at Rumpel and knew it was true. She backed away dropping it to the floor.

Regina felt like her entire leg was on fire from the inside. She tried to block it out, but couldn't. Instead she used it. She used the pain, the anger she felt. She was tired of letting this man control her life. She felt Emma's hands on her and she called up her magic one last time sending it toward the portal even as the pain intensified. She saw it go to the center of the portal and then a bright light exploded before her eyes.

It was the last thing she saw.

Rumpel saw the portal activate, and he paused, astounded that Regina was able to call forth such powerful magic in her current state. "No!" he yelled at her and he made a quick flick of his wrist.

Emma saw the portal activate and for a brief moment she was overcome with joy. She heard Rumpel yell and turned just in time to see his hand to a jerky motion and then the sound of breaking bones drew her attention back to the bed. Regina lay there, her eyes open staring. Her neck broken.

"No!" she screamed. "No!"

She hugged Regina's body to hers, crying. She couldn't be dead. Not after all of this. It wasn't possible. She kissed her forehead hoping she would wake.

She felt a pair hands on her pulling her away from Regina. Every thing slowed down for her – she saw the look of horror on Belle's face, Henry crying as Snow held on to him, even Whale had a look of disbelief and Gold, Gold just stood there. She wanted to launch herself at him, tear his limbs off, but someone still held her.

"You have to go," the person said. "It's your only chance to save her."

She wanted to yell at the person, point out the her true love was already dead. The person forced her around and she saw it was her father. "Go Emma, get Zelena and come back before this happens."

He pushed her backward and she fell through the portal.


	19. Chapter 19

Emma landed on the ground, her shoulder jarred by the impact sending a pain through her arm. She got to her feet quickly – too quickly as her mind spun a moment. She looked around. She was there by the portal but no one else was here.

Had traveled back in time?

She looked around again, her eyes stopping on the space where she had seen Regina last. The sound of her neck breaking and the sight of her dead eyes rushed back to Emma and she had to keep from crying out. Regina was dead. Rumple had actually killed her there in front of all of them. After all she had gone through with her cancer Rumple had killed her as easily as snapping his fingers – easier even.

She heard her father's voice now in her mind – 'get Zelena and come back before this happens.'

She still had a shot to save Regina.

She took off – having to get back to town even though she didn't know if she was even in the right time.

Emma tried to remind herself that she needed to be discreet. She needed to make sure she didn't mess up anything. When she saved Regina she wanted to be able to look her in the eyes and be able to tell her she did it the right way.

She got back into the town proper and went old school by looking at the newspaper in the rack to see the date. She had the right date, but she didn't celebrate knowing she had work to do. She tried to remember exactly where she and other people had been that day and cursed herself for not thinking to ask them so she could get a timeline straight in her head.

In her defense, no one else had thought of it either.

Emma headed to the mausoleum first knowing she needed to get Zelena's pendant.

She was walking – it wasn't as if she could use her own car – and suddenly she saw Regina. The other woman was walking with Robin on the other side of the street. They were holding hands and Emma was struck by the smile on Regina's face. She was happy.

Emma wondered if she could make Regina happy like that.

Robin was smiling back at her and Emma fought the urge to cross the street and knock it off his face. That was her true love he was smiling at.

Regina stopped and looked directly at Emma, who stared back at her before realizing she was not supposed to be seen. She turned quickly and began walking away. She had to cut through an alley and circle around in order not to get caught by anyone.

It took her a while to get to the mausoleum but as she did she began to think again about seeing Robin and Regina together. They must have been coming from Regina's visit to Zelena in jail. Robin and Regina – if she hadn't brought back Marian would she and Regina have gotten to where they are now? Or would she still be with Robin? Had they always been true loves or had it all changed when she brought Marian back?

No, she thought – it wasn't affected by her actions with Marian. They were true loves, which meant they would have gotten together regardless.

Emma went down into the mausoleum and began searching for the pendant – again wishing she had gotten more specifics before doing this.

She finally found it and put it in her pocket and was on her way to the jail. She knew from reviewing the tape what time Zelena had died and she found she needed to hurry – it had taken her longer at the mausoleum than she had expected. She started to sprint afraid she wouldn't get there in time. She only had one shot at this.

Emma was winded by the time she to the sheriff's office but she made her way inside, slowing as she neared the door to the office and holding cell area. There were voices coming from inside. That's not possible. She had been alone in that cell since Regina had left her –Emma had reviewed the recording. There should not be anyone in there.

She purposely made a lot of noise walking in.

She stopped in her tracks – there was Mr. Gold.

He was standing in front of the cell.

"Sheriff," he said backing off by a step.

"Rumpelstiltskin," she said staring him down.

"It's Mr. Gold," he said.

"Not to me," she said walking toward the cell. She put herself between him and Zelena.

He seemed to consider her statement.

"What are you doing here?" Emma asked.

"Just checking to make sure your prisoner was not pulling anything. She can't be trusted."

"A lot of that going around actually," she said. "But you see Zelena has no magic. Regina saw to that. You remember Regina, don't you? Your protégé. The one who cast your curse so you could come here and find your son, do you remember her?"

"Is there a point to your question sheriff?"

"She did everything you needed her to do. You had no right to ..." she was ready to kick his ass right there. But she remembered that she needed to get moving. She wasn't here to make Gold pay for what he did. "Get out my jail."

"Certainly sheriff," he said smiling at her and looking at Zelena once more before leaving.

"He was going to kill me," Zelena said the moment he left.

"Yeah, I sort of got that," Emma said, feeling like an idiot for not seeing that Gold may have had something to do with Zelena's death before. She got her keys out and unlocked the cell. "Come on, we have to get going."

Zelena stood there looking at her with a questioning look. "What do you want?" Zelena asked.

"Right now I am saving your ass and you are going to pay me back by saving your sister's."

"Regina?

"Yes, now you and I have some place to be rather quickly so you can come with me or I could call Mr. Gold back in here if you would like and leave you alone with him."

Zelena was still cautious about it but she came out and followed Emma out.

Emma took one of the extra squad cars knowing they had to get back to the portal quickly. She put Zelena in the back.

"Do you want to explain what you meant by saving Regina's ass?"

"Her leg actually," Emma said. "Regina has cancer. It's a disease that is destroying her from the inside starting with her leg, which is going to be amputated unless I can get you to the future where you are going to be more than happy to donate some stem cells to be implanted into her and hopefully that will reverse the spread of the cancer. Understand?"

"No," Zelena said. "The future? How far into the future?"

"Not long less than two years."

"And I am not there already?"

"No."

"Where am I?"

"You're dead," Emma said not feeling like she needed to sugar coat it at this point. "You died about 10 minutes ago. We thought you used your magic to end your own life. Now I am certain Gold killed you and covered it up."

She looked in the rear view mirror to see Zelena's reaction. The other woman was staring out the window not saying anything at first and then her features hardened. "I should have killed him when I had the chance."

"As much as I may like the idea of that, the point of my bringing you to the future is so you can do some good not evil. Regina believes you can be reformed, and I am staking a lot on that. You killed Henry's father but I am done with everyone playing the revenge game. It goes no where. Believe me, I wanted nothing more than to take my gun and shoot him through the heart in there assuming he has a heart to destroy, which I highly doubt. He killed Regina right in front of me and if I can resist killing him, so can you."

"Wait, Regina is dead? You just said you were bringing me to save her from this cancer."

Emma sighed as she took a back road to make sure she got to the portal without her own self seeing her driving to the place. They arrived and Emma parked in the back of the structure and brought Zelena inside.

"I need you to activate the portal. All it takes is an infusion of dark magic," Emma said. "Like two minutes ago."

"This is your plan? Not too smart are we Savior. I have no magic."

The look on her face reminded Emma of Regina in that moment. Emma reached into her pocket and pulled out the pendant. "You need to know that I have my magic back and I will use it. You will use your magic to jumpstart the portal. And then we need to hide."

"But I thought you were going to take me forward in time."

"I am. First the me from this time has to go back in time. It's a long story. Now do you understand my rules?"

"Yes."

"I mean it Zelena, you double cross me or try anything and you will regret it."

"I will not. I have no desire to stay here and be killed."

Emma wasn't sure if she could trust Zelena but she didn't have any choice. She handed the pendant to Zelena who smiled once she had her magic back.

She reached out and Emma watched her carefully as she flowed some of her magic into the portal. It activated – shooting a bright light up into the air.

Zelena took a step toward it and Emma grabbed her pulled her back. "We hide. Now!" she said dragged Zelena back with her. She knew if she hadn't have done it Zelena would have gone into the portal.

They had to hide for a while and then Emma watched as she and Hook went through the portal and it closed. Emma thought about that trip through time. She would bring Marian back on the return trip and she remembered the hurt in Regina's eyes that night at Granny's when Marian and Robin saw each other.

Zelena moved to the portal as soon as it was closed. "Now Savior tell me what is going on, or I am out of here despite your threats."

Emma walked up to her, staring her down and then told her – everything.

By the end of the telling Zelena had backed down and began pacing. "You and my sister are true loves?"

"It would appear so."

"And Rumple killed her."

"Yes, which is why when we go back we have to go before that happens and stop him."

"He's the Dark One. You don't just kill him, not without his dagger. Did you learn nothing from me controlling him? He is practically invincible."

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

"You said that Regina gave Belle the dagger, but from what Rumple was saying he has the dagger. And Belle has a fake. We need to find the dagger here in this time before going back. That is the only way to stop him."

"I don't think messing around in this timeline is the answer. Let's just go back a little before this all happens."

"Why don't you go back to before she was sick?"

"Because it wouldn't prevent her from getting sick. And without her getting sick, she won't know that I am her true love."

Zelena seemed to consider the answer before speaking. "Then our only option to ensure success is to eliminate the dagger first."

Emma didn't trust her. She had no reason to trust her. For all she knew Zelena wanted the dagger for herself again.

"Why are you being agreeable about this?" she asked finally.

"No. 1, as I said I have no desire to stay here and be killed. No. 2, you said he killed Regina, no one kills my sister except maybe me."

"That is in no way comforting."

"Yes well, welcome to the family."


	20. Chapter 20

Emma and Zelena ended up back at the sheriff's office to figure out their next move.

"We can't stay here long. Pretty soon is when they discover you are dead, except in this case you aren't and they are going to start looking for you because you went missing, which will probably screw up the timeline and make all of this mean absolutely shit because I didn't think about people expecting to find you dead. Regina is right I don't think things through to their consequences," Emma said.

"Are you this uptight all the time?" Zelena asked.

"No, but I have a lot riding on this."

"Yeah, yeah true love. Once again my sister gets everything in the world she wants," Zelena said bitterly.

"Her life hasn't been easy, maybe if you had taken some time to get to know her rather than trying to destroy her, you would have learned that. It's not her fault that Cora kept her and not you."

"Not easy. My life hasn't been easy. My adopted father – someone who should have loved me spent my upbringing trying to keep me from being who I was."

"You want to exchange sob stories because I had a foster family who gave me back to the state. Not only did I get abandoned by my parents, a whole other family rejected me. All of that means nothing right now. All I want to do is get you back to the future so you can help save Regina's life."

"First I have to be dead apparently so let's take care of that. How was my body discovered?"

"Um there was no body."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean the video," Emma said walking over and showing her the small TV. "It showed you standing in the back of the cell and you sort of raise your hand and then you body seems to turn to glass and shatter into these little pieces which then puff away to smoke."

"And that looked like a suicide to all of you?"

"Yeah Regina thought it was odd too and originally accused Gold of doing something to you but when they watched the video she backed off."

"This is ridiculous," Zelena said. "Can you just erase or destroy that thing?"

"Yes."

"Good. Then I will supply my death."

She went over to the cell and Emma watched as she did some magic. Emma erases the video for the whole day and then walked over to see a dead Zelena in the cell. With her eyes open Emma had to turn away as it brought a flash of memory of Regina's death to the forefront.

"It won't fool Regina or Gold for very long," Zelena said. "But it won't matter. After they discover it, the body will disintegrate before their eyes leaving no trace."

Emma looked at her, "How powerful is your magic?"

"More powerful than my sister's obviously."

"Yet she still won."

"She won that round."

"Let's get out of here," Emma said. They went out the back it appeared just in time. They needed to find a place to lay low for a bit and when she mentioned it; Zelena grabbed her arm and the next thing she knew they were standing in the abandoned house Zelena had been using.

"What's the plan now Savior?"

"We have to wait until later tonight. Rumpel and Belle get married this evening."

"They get married?"

"Yes, married," she said seeing a look of anger and sadness on Zelena's face. "It's a private ceremony but during it we should be able to get into Gold's shop and look for the dagger."

"And then off to save Regina," Zelena said giving her a dismissive look.

"What is your problem with her exactly?" Emma said. "How can you hate someone so much who you don't even know?"

"Because she got everything. Our mother chose her; Gold chose her; no one ever chose me."

"Maybe Regina would choose you if you gave her the chance."

"Why would she do that, she does after all have her son and now her true love?"

"Doesn't mean there isn't room for more," Emma said. "Can you honestly stand there and tell me that your life is better for this vendetta you have?"

"It's all I have."

"Yeah, Regina used to feel the same way about her vendetta against my mom. That didn't lead her to be happy either."

"You know, while we wait, there is no real reason for us to talk."

"Fine."

…

Back in the present time

Once Emma disappeared into the portal everyone stayed still for a moment before Charming began to advance on Gold, who merely waved his hand and Charming went flying backward. Whale helped him get back to his feet.

Gold slowly approached the portal glancing at Belle who had backed up so far she as now standing beside Snow and Henry.

"If the Savior manages to return with Zelena, I will kill her, just like I killed her before," he said.

"Regina was right, you did kill her."

"Yes, a little magic and you saw what I wanted you to see. Just like when I am done killing her, I will make you all forget about this. Regina will have tragically died of cancer in the hospital," he said looking at her body. "And we will all get on with our lives."

"How could you?" Belle asked.

"She killed my Bae," Gold said. "She killed my son, tried to use me and control me. I wasn't going to let her get away with that Belle. Surely you understand that I couldn't let her get away with that. You know what I have gone through to be reunited with Bae. Henry, she killed your father, surely you see that she had to be stopped."

"Like you need to be stopped for killing my mom," he said tears still in his eyes and on his face.

"You won't get away with this," Charming said.

"Yes I will," he said simply. "Think of it this way, I just saved your daughter from ending up with the Evil Queen."

Henry tried to rush at him, but Snow grabbed him and pulled him back putting herself in between him and Gold. "She was the Evil Queen, but she changed," Snow said. "She changed like Belle believed you changed. We now know that you are the same selfish, power-hungry fiend whose own son wanted nothing to do with him. What you did to Regina, that showed you also a coward."

"Be careful Snow," he said. "I am letting you all live, perhaps you should be grateful."

…

Back in the past

Emma didn't trust Zelena. She had no reason to trust her and as they made their way to Gold's shop she knew she would have to keep a close eye on her. They entered the shop, Zelena using her magic to get them inside without tripping an alarm – a magic or modern one.

They started in the back room, figuring he would want to keep it hidden from prying eyes but after an hour of searching they came up with nothing. They went to the main room and Emma was searching in one corner when she heard Zelena say, "Clever." Emma came to see a safe that Zelena had opened and with her magic she uncovered the dagger. Zelena reached in and took it, staring at it with a smile on her face.

"Give it here," Emma said.

Zelena laughed and then she disappeared in a puff of green smoke.

Emma shook her head.

…

Zelena appeared beside the portal. She knew enough now of the timing to be able to go to the future and destroy Gold for what he did to her, but he was going to make sure he suffered first.

She thought about how he was going to kill her. She was trapped without magic and he was going to kill her, but now she had her magic and his once more.

"What do you plan on doing to Regina when you get to where you are going?"  
Zelena turned to see Emma walking toward her. "How?"

"Oh, that whole teleporting thing, Regina already taught me that one," Emma said. "I will ask again, what do you plan on doing to Regina?"

"I don't know. My focus is on bigger things right now."

"I thought you wanted to destroy her since she got everything you ever wanted."

"Sounds like I don't have to do anything. This cancer it appears will destroy her."

"Give me the dagger."

"No."

"Zelena, listen to me. You have a choice right now. You can give me the dagger and go back with me and start to change things for your life, change for the better. You can have what was denied you – a family. I know Regina would like to have that chance with you. Despite all that has happened, you are the only blood family she has left. She would like to get to know the sister she never had. But if you go back to get your revenge, even if it is just against Gold, you can forget that happening. Give me the dagger and show everyone that you want to be a better person. I swear, if you give me the dagger, I will do all I can to help you and to help others see that you are not the Wicked Witch."

"It's too late for me."

"No it isn't. I believe that, but this is your last chance. Take it and change your life, or don't take it and I will still defeat you and you will spend your life alone with no magic, and nothing to hope for. That is what I am offering you right now – hope. Hope for a better future. Now give me the dagger."

"You are just going to let Gold get away with killing your true love?"

"She won't be dead when we go back. We are going back before that happens."

"And you are just going to use that dagger to stop him and then he gets to go free?"

"Not exactly. I guess you are just going to have to trust me."

"I don't trust anyone."

"You have to start somewhere. Besides you and I are practically family."

Zelena looked at the dagger in her hand and then slowly held it out to Emma, who took it.

"Ready to go?" Emma asked.

Zelena nodded and opened the portal. Emma thought about where she wanted the portal to take them and she took Zelena's hand in hers and jumped.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I swear this is a new chapter, but you will immediately see why you might think otherwise (hint, it's because of the time travel).

 

* * *

They arrived and Charming helped Whale and the driver get the gurney out of the ambulance. They wheeled it to the portal. Whale looked at Emma. "As soon as you are gone, we are heading back to the hospital. I can't have her out her like this for long. Her immune system is too weak to allow it."

"I understand. I will be back with Zelena like I was never even gone."

"No you won't."

They turned to see Mr. Gold walking toward them. Emma stepped in front of the gurney to put herself between him and Regina.

"I can't allow you to do this," Gold said. "I thought I made myself clear on that point. You will not be bringing Zelena back."

"I am," Emma said.

"She killed my Bae, your son's father, and you dare to think you can bring her back."

"You don't think I have thought about that, about what she did. We all have. But this is her chance to do something good."

"Something good? How many people has Regina killed? You think she deserves to be saved?"

"Everyone deserves to be saved if possible. Even you. Neal believed that."

"I will not let you bring her back. Now you can all leave now, or I will make you leave."

Emma turned to Regina, "Open the portal."

"Regina, don't," Gold said. "You know what I am capable of."

"Yes I do," Regina said but she called her magic up anyway. The moment she did, Gold raised his hand and she screamed in pain, reaching down toward her leg.

"Gold, stop it," Emma yelled above Regina's screaming. She wasn't sure what Gold was doing but Regina was in so much pain. "Stop it!"

He put his hand down and Regina stopped screaming but she laid there breathing heavily, whatever it was having taken a toll on her.

"I believe I made my point, now leave."

Regina sat up in the bed and called her magic up again; defying Gold and he again raised his hand toward her. She screamed again in pain but kept a hold of the magic. It didn't last though as she had to release it due to the pain she was in.

"Stop this," a new voice said.  
They all turned to see Belle as she entered. In her hand was the Dark One's dagger. He stopped the magic.

"Belle," he said.

"We've all suffered enough due to magic," she said. "Everyone in this room has seen how it corrupts, it destroys. Maybe we need this. Maybe we need to see that it can be used for good."

She looked at Regina. "I forgive you," she said. "I forgive you."

"I don't deserve it."

"Maybe not, but I ask that you accept it."

Regina merely nodded at her. Belle moved past them and walked up to Gold. "You are not that person anymore either," she said to him. "You are not the Dark One. You are my husband, and I am asking you to stop this. Let Emma do this. Open the portal for her."

Rumpel looked down at Belle. "I'm sorry Belle, but I can't. I can't."

"Yes you can. Show them the good inside you that I see."

Rumpel looked away from her. He saw Emma there beside Regina's bed, holding her hand, making sure she was ok. The others stood there waiting. He looked again at her.

"I'm sorry," he said. "But I can't let my son's murderer go free."

Regina started to scream again. Emma held on to her, but she looked at Belle.

"Stop it," Belle said, holding the dagger up in front of him. "I command you to stop."

But he didn't stop and Belle looked at the dagger in confusion, unsure if she was supposed to do something else.

"It's a fake dagger," Regina choked out before the pain became too much.

Belle dropped the dagger to the floor and looked at her husband. She reached behind her back and pulled out another dagger. "I command you to stop."

This time the magic he was using against Regina stopped immediately. Gold stood there in shock.

"You gave me a fake dagger and hid this one away in your shop," Belle said. "Why?"

"Belle."

"Answer me," she said holding the dagger even tighter.

"I wasn't going to give up control of my magic to anyone, not even you. But you needed to believe I was capable of it."

She looked down at the dagger in her hand. "Open the portal for Emma."

"Belle, don't make me do this," he pleaded. "That woman killed my Bae."

"Open the portal for Emma."

He faced the portal and used his magic to activate it.

Emma turned to Belle, "thank you."

Belle, who had tears in her eyes, said, "Go. By the way, you succeed."

"How do you know?"

She looked again at the dagger, "I just do."

Emma kissed Regina on the forehead. "I will be back before you can miss me," she said.

"You assume I will."

"I know you will," she smiled. She faced the portal thinking of where she wanted to go and jumped. As soon as she was through the portal went back to being dormant.

"We need to get Regina back to the hospital," Whale said.

"Let's go," Charming said. He took one side of the gurney and Whale the other. "Wait," Regina said. She sat up, "Belle, what are you going to do?"

"I don't know," she said.

"You're a better person than I could ever think to be, you will make the right decision," she said. "I wish you didn't have to make it though."

"Is there anyway to destroy this magic?" Belle asked her.

"None that I know of. The only way to take it from him is for someone else to take on the mantle of Dark One. There is nothing good about that magic. It corrupts."

"Get her back to the hospital," Belle said.

They left, Snow looking back at Belle as she faced her husband.

….

Regina was unconscious almost from the moment they loaded her in the ambulance. Whale sat beside her in the back monitoring her vitals. She had been running on pure adrenaline when facing Gold, but now what he did to her was taking its toll on her. Her breath was more ragged than he would like and her heartbeat was erratic.

He could only hope that Belle was right and Emma would succeed.

They ran with the lights on all the way back into town. Once they were at the hospital, the back doors opened.

"Emma?" Whale said seeing it was her who opened the doors.

She smiled. "I have a stem cell donor waiting inside," she said.

…

Emma entered the hospital room.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" she asked.

"Better," Zelena asked as she lay in the hospital bed. "A little explanation as to what this all entailed would have been appreciated before you let them sedate me."

Emma took a seat beside the bed. "I didn't really know what it entailed."

"I noticed you took the opportunity to take my pendant," Zelena said.

"I did. Don't worry; it's in a safe place."

"A place I take it that you aren't going to share with me despite your assurances that this was about giving me a second chance,"

"This is about a second chance," Emma replied. "And if you are serious about taking it, you are going to have to deal with the aftermath of your actions. I am not talking about locking you back in jail, but there are people in this town who aren't going to be your biggest fan. The first step is getting them to see you are willing to change is getting them to trust you. They aren't going to do that if you resort to magic every time things get tough."

"Are you always this sanctimonious?"

"I suppose your sister would say I am."

Zelena didn't say anything.

"You know it's ok for you to ask how she was doing, you know show some concern."

"I don't know how to be concerned for someone that I have absolutely no connection to."

"You are sisters. You did agree to be her stem cell donor, so that has to account for something, doesn't it."

"I didn't imagine you would have given me a choice in the matter regardless."

"You are probably right," she said standing. "Glad you are feeling better." She made it to the door.

"Well are you going to tell me how Regina is doing?"

Emma smiled a little before turning back around. "She's still asleep. The procedure takes a lot of out of her so for the next few days at least her awake time will be extremely limited."

"And how long before you find out if this is even working?"

"We should know in two weeks time. And if it works she will go through the full complement of three procedures. They harvested all the cells she will need so this is the only time you will need to undergo it."

Zelena lapsed back into silence and Emma left. She had already visited Regina's room so she decided to leave the hospital. The nurses and doctors knew to call her if there was any change in Regina's condition or if Zelena got out of hand. She was still concerned about Zelena, but for now at least she was going to give her the benefit of the doubt.

Zelena hadn't been entirely agreeable with her plan to approach Belle and give her the real dagger – explaining to her how they had come to get it, but in the end Zelena seemed to at least find perverse humor in Gold being stopped by his wife.

She had gone to see Belle earlier, helped her carry some of her bags up to a room at Granny's. Belle was planning on staying there for the time being. She didn't know what she was going to do about her marriage. She loved Gold, that was obvious to anyone, but Emma imagined it would be a while before she would come to grips with what she had done. Emma had asked her what she had done with the dagger, and all Belle would say was that it was safe.

…

It wasn't until the next day that Regina woke. Emma was at work when the hospital called and Emma rushed over afraid Regina would be asleep again by the time she got there. When she arrived, she found her mother in the room sitting beside the bed. She stood as Emma entered.

"I will let you two be alone," she said exiting.

Emma approached the bed and took Regina's hand in hers. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," Regina said. "I feel tired."

Emma could tell Regina wasn't going to be awake long.

"How's Henry?" Regina asked.

"He's ok. He's been ok. He was a little upset at first because him kissing you didn't wake you and he was worried you know about what that meant."

"I love him, and he loves me," Regina said. "I don't doubt that."

"Neither does he. He just didn't understand. None of us understood until my mom suggested that maybe it was because I was supposed to be the one to do it."

"I'm surprised she didn't let me continue to sleep then."

"What was she doing in here?"

"Warning me that I better not hurt you or she would kill me."

"She did not."

"Not quite as explicit as all that, but yes, it was a subtle warning that I better not hurt her little girl. It was actually kind of cute. She called you her little girl."

Emma rolled her eyes although she was privately kind of happy that her mom could see her that way.

"What did you tell her?" Emma asked.

"I told her that I had no intention of hurting you. In fact I don't really know what my intentions or your intentions are."

"We are each other's true loves so I guess I intend on living happily ever after with you."

Regina smiled at the sentiment. "Happily ever after is something for a fairy tale. I am afraid I am well past believing in it."

She looked down at her leg.

"You are going to be ok," Emma said squeezing her hand.

"You don't know that."

"Yes I do," Emma said. "I know that even if this treatment doesn't work you will face the next step with courage and Henry and I will be there every step of the way. I know you will be ok because you won't be alone. Hell even Zelena might make an appearance or two on the supportive side."

"My sister. Where is she? How is she?"

"She's on the next floor up. She's ok. I think it's going to take some time with her, you know adjustment time to find her place in this world but I told her I would help her."

"You did?"

"Of course. She's going to be my sister-in-law after all."

"She is? Jumping ahead of yourself a bit wouldn't you say Miss Swan?"

"Nah," Emma said. "You are going to say yes when the time comes. I am an expert in Regina Mills, you should be aware of that by now."

Regina smiled again, "I am beginning to see that."

…

Two years later.

The track area at Storybrooke High School was packed – practically the whole town was there. Regina couldn't help but be in awe that this many people were there for the town's first ever Relay for Life walk.

The event was about to start with the lap for survivors and their families. She knelt down to make sure her shoes were tried. She touched her left leg still in disbelief some days that it was still there. Her cancer had been in remission after her successful stem cell treatments although she technically had to be in remission four years before she officially declared cancer free.

She walked to the starting line where Emma and Henry waited for her.

"Are you ready?" Emma asked.

"I am," she said taking Emma's hand in hers so they could walk that way. She was still unused to having the wedding band on her finger – their wedding had only been two months ago. It was a small ceremony with just family although their reception was much larger.

Snow and Charming joined them – Charming holding Neal.

"You ready kid?" Emma asked.

"Yeah, where's aunt Zelena?" he asked looking around.

"Probably off somewhere making out with her boyfriend," Regina said.

"Still not over it?" Emma asked.

"She brought Dr. Frankenstein to our wedding."

"Hey, he helped save your life and has actually been very nice to you."

"Yes, clearly because he wanted to get in my sister's pants."

"She deserves to be happy, so does he.'

"I know, I know, but can you imagine if they get married. He will be my brother-in-law."

"All the more reason for you to not object to their dating now."

"Sorry we're late," Zelena said coming up behind them. Regina turned and gave her sister a hug.

"Hello Regina,"

"Hello Victor," she said smiling. "If you hurt my sister I will kill you."

"Regina," Zelena warned.

"Hey, you said the same thing to me the night before I married Regina," Emma said to Zelena.

"Yes, but I am the older sister I am supposed to say things like that. She isn't."

Henry just laughed earning him a look from all of them.

"What?" he said. "I am just happy to have my family here."

Regina gave him a hug and took Emma's hand once more as they began to walk.


End file.
